


We loved with a love that was more than love

by wrldtravler



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Big Brother Tommy, Brooding and Confused Oliver, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Plot Twist, Pre-Island Adventures, Sassy Felicity Smoak, Soulmarks, The Island is here, Thea Queen is low key amazing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-11
Updated: 2018-06-18
Packaged: 2018-10-02 11:19:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 127,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10216829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wrldtravler/pseuds/wrldtravler
Summary: When Felicity's father leaves her and her mother behind, she loses all her faith in the very idea of soulmates. After Donna Smoak remarries into the Merlyn family, events are put into motion that bring Felicity into proximity the very destiny she never wanted to be apart of, and the family she never knew she needed. After years of unknowingly fighting and dancing around her fate, Felicity finally receives her soulmark on her 18th birthday. With the truth revealed, Felicity's fate is left in her hands, and only she can decide whether to let him in before it's too late.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, I just want to give a huge shout out to all the lovely readers who showed me so much love for the one-shot I posted a while back. It was my first real foray into writing fanfic after being an avid reader for years. So, all the kudos and such positive comments really meant a lot to me.
> 
> Now, onto what we're all really here for: this new fic! In the one-shot, I did say I had a multi-chapter work in progress. Interestingly enough this isn't the original work I had in mind, but the idea just came to me and I couldn't help but write this. I am still working on the original multi-chapter piece I had in mind, but it's a much more complex story and the plot is evading me at the moment. In the meantime, here's a hopefully interesting take on the soulmate trope!
> 
> The title for this work comes from a verse from Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe (hint: the poem is shockingly relevant to this fic in some ways hehe).

When you're seven, the smallest changes seem like the most dramatic upheavals of the world as you know it. To some children, those changes are as simple as moving and going to a new school or getting a new baby sibling. But for Felicity Smoak, her life changed in a way that is tough for anyone, let alone a bright-eyed seven year old. 

Her father, and her mother's soulmate, left them without a word one morning and took more than just a father with him when he left. Felicity, like every other child, grew up with plenty of fairy tales of soulmates. Despite her naturally logical disposition, the young and impressionable Felicity couldn't help but dream about meeting her soulmate one day and living happily ever after like in her fairy tales. So, you can see why watching your mother's soulmate willingly walk out on what is supposedly destiny dramatically changed reality for Felicity. 

Even at seven, Felicity suddenly understood the harsh truth that sometimes even being soulmates doesn't mean happily ever after. Sometimes Fate's designs for you don't come easily, and the fight to hold onto that destiny might consume you until there's nothing left to give once that fight is over. 

Like rubbing salt in the wound, Felicity watched her mother spiral into despair in the years after her father left them. Seeing that lost look in her mother's eyes as she searched for that missing piece broke Felicity. Felicity knew her mother was someone who loved with everything she had; and, when it came to her father, her mother fell fast and hard in love with him. Watching that love and passion be ripped from her mother's very being when her father left made Felicity curse the idea of soulmates to her very core. 

It was then that Felicity hoped to never meet or know her own future soulmate. To her, it would be better to live blissfully unaware than watch herself become a shell of her former self by trusting in the sanctity of the concept of soulmates. 

**** 

At the age of 10, Felicity's life changed again. It's not that she wasn't happy about this change, it's just that she didn't like what this change meant. 

For the first time in three years, her mother was vibrant again. She wasn't whole – only one person could accomplish that – but Donna Smoak was more herself than she'd been in a while. Felicity really was happy to have her mother back. 

Donna Smoak had found love again with one of the most improbable men: Malcolm Merlyn. He too lost his soulmate, but in his case she died from an incurable illness, leaving him and his young son behind at the time. In Donna, Malcolm found someone who was also broken by the soulmate experience, but also someone who could love him and his son and hopefully mend their broken family. In Malcolm, Donna finally found something easy and good that didn't require effort to make it last, and something that might finally provide the family that she desperately wanted for Felicity. 

When Donna broke the news to Felicity that she was marrying Merlyn and that they were moving to Starling City, Felicity finally snapped. Despite her hesitance to believe in the soulmate institution since her father's departure, Felicity still secretly held onto the hope that her father would come back someday and everything would be right in the world. Her mother's decision to remarry crushed what little hope she had left. 

Felicity threw a fit that night at dinner when her mother broke the news. She told her mother she just was giving up, not even bothering to fight for true love. Felicity finally poured out all the feelings she bottled up when her father left, letting her mother see how crushed she was about losing her faith in soulmates and true love. 

Donna hugged her daughter close, letting her weep for her lost innocence, her lost hope, and her lost dreams. "Felicity." She whispered, combing her fingers soothingly through her daughters brunette locks. "I hope you'll understand when you're older. I'm lucky to have found love again after your father. It will never be the same, but I have a chance to be happy again." She cooed, listening as her daughter's crying dissolved into whimpers. She cupped her daughter's face, and looked into her broken, watery eyes. Seeing her daughter so broken made tears spring to Donna's eyes. "But you know what baby girl, despite my experience, I still hope you find your soulmate. I have a feeling he'll change the way you see the world. He'll be the one to prove you wrong, I can feel it." She stated with such a conviction that Felicity almost believed her mother. 

That night, Felicity silently cried herself to sleep while dreaming of what could have been, both for her mother and for herself. 

**** 

Surprisingly, Felicity didn't mind the new arrangement so much. It was tough at first, adjusting to a new city, a new life, and living in such opulence. The one saving grace was one Tommy Merlyn. 

While her mother got to live the life of luxury she always wanted, Felicity finally gained the sibling she always wanted. Things were weird at first, of course. Tommy's mother died four years earlier, but the twelve-year-old boy still missed his mother's warm smile and loving hugs. He was clearly resistant at first to having a new mother, but he shared a special connection with Felicity. 

They both truly understood the struggle the other had faced. Each having lost a parent, shattering their perception of reality, and watching the other parent struggle had given the pair a shared experience that bonded them together. Both silently vowed to protect the other, and be each other's rock. 

The pair became inseparable. Tommy, despite everything, was an energetic, passionate young boy. He loved to tease Felicity and play innocent pranks on her, knowing that it always made her smile and brought her out of her shell, even if just a little. That's what made them such a duo. Felicity was reserved and quiet, while Tommy was jovial and playful. 

Not only had she found a friend and older brother in Tommy Merlyn, but she was surprised to find one in his best friend: Oliver Queen.

Like Tommy, Oliver never treated her like she was different. To Oliver she wasn't the daughter of a poor cocktail waitress from Las Vegas, she wasn't a child abandoned by her father when she was seven. He easily accepted her into his new normal as an extension of Tommy. While most twelve-year-old boys would dread having a ten-year-old girl following them around, Tommy and Oliver never seemed bothered by it. They always included her, protected her, and most of all... loved her. 

Where Felicity had found an older brother in Tommy, she found a best friend in Oliver. With Tommy, their antics were pure fun and full of laughter. On the rare occasion Oliver and Felicity found themselves without Tommy, the pair simply enjoyed the other's presence. Most of the time, they would laugh as Tommy chased some poor girl around the playground, or attempted some idiotic stunt that would most likely leave a mark. They quickly found that they didn't always need to speak to understand each other, they just understood each other effortlessly. 

What surprised Felicity the most was that she was more open with Oliver than she was with Tommy. It's not that Tommy wouldn't care, but there was the added pressure that he was essentially her brother and that he had Malcolm Merlyn to answer to. With Oliver, she found that she could talk about anything and everything. It didn't help that somehow she could never hide things from that infuriating, knowing blue gaze of his. 

Felicity's fast friendship with Oliver and Tommy eased the pain of the last few years. She knew Donna Merlyn didn't miss the fact that her daughter was smiling more often, and seemed genuinely happy again, and that it made her mother so happy in turn. What Felicity didn't see was the knowing, hopeful look whenever Oliver was around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know. That was short. Hopefully, though, it was a worthy prologue to provide some motivation for the story and get you guys interested to find out how events unfold!
> 
> And, since it was so short, you guys may have a surprise coming in the very near future ;).


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reaction to the prologue and my excitement for this chapter meant I just couldn't wait any longer to post this.
> 
> First thing's first, this is a behemoth. I really didn't mean for it to happen, but I just kept writing and suddenly it grew into this awesome chapter. I doubt all my chapters will be this long, I'm realistically aiming for 6,000 - 8,000 words per chapter, but I'm more than happy to give you guys this extra long update after such a short opening chapter.
> 
> I also doubt I'll update this frequently. As I discovered in college, I'm a pretty slow writer, but that's only because I really take my time to pick and choose my words carefully. I'm hoping to take no more than two weeks to give you guys updates, so we'll see if I can hold myself to that!
> 
> Without further ado, here's the first official chapter featuring tons of awesome Oliver/Tommy/Felicity interactions in their pre-soulmarked youth!

_Six years later_

Felicity heaved a tired sigh as she stepped out of the private car and made her way to the front door of the Merlyn mansion. It was almost winter break, and the amount of tests she'd taken and hours she'd devoted to studying in the last few weeks were finally catching up to her. The classes Felicity was taking this semester weren't particularly difficult, even if they included senior level classes and several advanced placement courses. Pushing herself to do her best was just what Felicity had always done. Truth be told, winter break couldn't come fast enough for Felicity.

Observing the ostentatious Merlyn manor as she reached the door, she shook her head. It would most likely be another quiet night at the manor. Usually there was nothing wrong with that, especially since she planned to hide away to study in peace until late tonight. Lately though, with as stressed out as she was, she'd missed the warmth a smaller living environment. Tommy, with his boisterous and warm personality certainly helped fill the void in the manor, but he was most likely over at Oliver's or shacking up with some girl and ignoring his exams. And her chatty, albeit well-meaning mother was most likely out with friends tonight. So, a quiet night it would be for Felicity. As soon as Felicity entered the foyer of the manor, she was surprised to find herself abruptly turned around and shoved back out the door. With her glasses momentarily fogged up due to walking into the warm interior of the manor from the chilly outdoors, she was certainly disoriented by the sudden change of direction.

Once Felicity's glasses returned to normal, she threw a her captor a puzzled glare, and Tommy responded with his classic cheeky smile. "Well, sister dearest, you'll be surprised to hear that Ollie and I are actually taking our exams seriously and are studying for our math test together. And you're coming with me because we might need that big brain of your's to help us out." He grinned, giving her temple a gentle tap. 

"Tommy. I have so much studying to do! I can't babysit you two all night." She huffed as Tommy dragged her over to his sleek silver Audi. "But Fe-li-ci-ty," Tommy pleaded with a playfully pouty look, "I heard Raisa is making us a ton of snacks to keep us fueled while we study. Ollie warned her it might be a late night. And you can't refuse Raisa's amazing cooking." He finished gleefully, knowing Raisa's cooking was always a weakness for her. And damn those two boys for knowing her so well. 

Opening the passenger door to the Audi, she threw a playful glare over her shoulder at Tommy. "Fine. But are we really in a this big of a hurry that I can't change out of this stuffy school uniform and clean up before we go over there?" She queried as Tommy jogged around to the drivers side and plopped down next to her in the car. "Of course we're in a hurry! We wouldn't want to miss the food while it's warm." He stated matter-of-factly, "Andd... Ollie and I may or may not have started studying at all, so we have a lot to cover." He mumbled sheepishly, earning him a not so gentle punch in the shoulder from Felicity. "Plus, I'm sure you can borrow some comfier clothing from Thea to change into when we get there." He suggested. 

"I cannot believe you Merlyn. You boys know better." She admonished as they took off for the Queen manor. "And, I know I'm young and all, but I highly doubt I'll fit into something of Thea's considering that she's 10 years old and built like a stick." Felicity reminded with a giggle. Tommy thought about it and nodded in agreement. "Right, well I'll ask Ollie then. I'm sure he wouldn't mind at all, and I'm sure he'd do anything to make sure you'll be comfortable enough to agree to help us" He teased, glancing over to Felicity with a big grin. 

Felicity blushed slightly at the thought of wearing Oliver's clothes, and had to clear her throat before attempting to speak again. "Maybe I should take advantage of his desperation for other favors." She replied quietly, paused for a beat, and then gasped. "Oh my god. That sounded a lot dirtier than it was supposed to. You know Oliver and I are just friends, right? Please don't tell him I subconsciously made a pass at him." She explained quickly, turning her body to give Tommy a desperately pleading look. 

Tommy's loud, full-bellied laugh rang out throughout the small car. Felicity swore she could see tears spring to his eyes too. "Oh man, what are Ollie and I going to do without you and your subtly awesome innuendos and babbling to entertain us all the time next year." Tommy managed to reply, still breathless from laughing so hard. 

Pouting, Felicity turned in her seat again, staring resolutely out the window with her arms crossed over her chest. "Not funny Tommy. You know I can't control it, and never mind the fact that it usually happens at the most opportune moment to embarrass myself." She mumbled as they pulled up underneath the ornate stone awning covering the front entrance of the Queen manor. 

Stepping out of the car and walking around to Tommy, Felicity was pulled into his warm embrace again as they walked up to the front door. Her ruffled her brunette locks affectionately, throwing her a sideways smile. "I mean it, you know. We'd be miserable and absolutely lost without you. You're the only one who can ever keep us in line." He praised softly as he rang the doorbell. 

"I know." She whispered solemnly. What made Tommy's confession all the more difficult to swallow was that she hadn't told him that she was planning on going as far away as possible for college. Tommy and Oliver wanted to stay semi-local and go to Stanford together. Sure their families had connections to get them easy admittance, but she knew the warm climate and abundance of attractive women were the real draws. She scoffed not so discretely when they told her, knowing those poor boys would never get any work done at Stanford. 

In the very same conversation, they talked up Stanford's engineering and applied sciences program, in hopes of convincing her to join them to keep them on track and because they knew Stanford's credentials were such a good fit for her. At that moment, she knew she couldn't tell them about her plans yet. They had both looked so hopeful that it would break their hearts to know she actually hoped to move across the country. 

As grateful as she was for the way the Merlyn's turned her and her mother's lives around after her father left, she had never felt truly at home. The sheer opulence of her new life was so foreign from the near poverty she lived in as a child. And as much as Tommy, Oliver, and even Thea (once she'd gotten older) had made her feel like family, she wanted – no needed – to get away from it all for a while to figure things out apart from this strange life she'd been thrust into at ten. 

She was pulled from her rather morose musings when a breathless Oliver finally whipped open the door, beaming at the pair before stepping aside to let them come in and take shelter from the cold. "Hey Tommy, Felicity." He greeted brightly, pulling Tommy into a manly hug before turning to Felicity to wrap her up tightly in a warm embrace. They probably held each other for a second longer than they should have, but who was counting. Felicity's blue eyes met Oliver's own warm blue eyes as he stepped back from the hug. "Thank you so much for coming over to help us out. I know you have a lot of work to do too, and I promise we'll try not to bother you often, but you're a real lifesaver Felicity." Oliver stated, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. 

Felicity gave him a warm smile in response, a small blush tinging her cheeks at his genuine gratitude. She did let a small scoff escape though, throwing a sideways glare to her not so innocent brother. "Well, I didn't have much of a choice, considering my brother dearest ambushed me the moment I walked in the door and forced me back out of the house." Felicity teased, throwing a conspiratorial look at Oliver, as she couldn't help a small grin escape. "I told you Raisa's cooking was involved, and I didn't see you struggle too much!" Tommy defended, throwing his hands up as if to indicate his innocence. If there's one thing Tommy Merlyn isn't, it's innocent. 

After the laughter that ensued died down, and everyone caught their breath, Oliver began to usher them to the study before Tommy stopped him. "Ollie, can Felicity borrow some sweats or something? Seeing as I ambushed her and didn't give her a chance to change, and we're all in for a late night, I figured it's the least we could do to thank her for being so patient with us." He explained. 

Felicity shyly looked up at Oliver through her lashes, giving him a sheepish smile. She knew it was a lot to ask, and it was more than strange to let a girl you're very platonic friends with borrow your clothes. She could tell Oliver had stilled and his breathing more shallow, like he was nervous, as he pondered the request. "Yeah, sure. Um, you can come up to my room and we'll see if we can find some of my old sweats for you." Oliver finally offered, his voice cracking slightly, like he was just as nervous as she was. Tommy shot Oliver an appreciative smile before turning to depart, throwing a nonchalant wave over his shoulder. "I'll meet you guys in the study then. I call first dibs on Raisa's snacks!" He chuckled as he disappeared. 

Felicity and Oliver shared a laugh at Tommy's antics before heading up the stairs to his room. The walk was completed in silence, much to Felicity's appreciation. She feared that if she'd opened her mouth, her nerves would prevent her from stopping and she'd let another suggestive comment out, but in front of Oliver this time. Felicity knew she'd definitely die of embarrassment if that happened. 

Once they reached his door, Oliver opened it and gestured for her to enter first before he followed her in. "Feel free to set your stuff on the couch. I'm sure you must be roasting in your coat at this point." He threw over his shoulder as he padded over to his dresser to dig around for something that might remotely fit Felicity's tiny frame. "And here I thought you were trying to make me sweat on purpose." She teased in a soft voice which earned a laugh from Oliver. 

Following Oliver's suggest, Felicity made her way over to the couch and pulled off her layer of winter gear, laying it gently on the couch next to her backpack that she'd deposited there for the moment. Just as she finished she turned around to see Oliver coming back over to her with some clothes. "This is the best I could do. They'll probably still be a bit baggy, but they definitely beat those awful school uniforms they make us wear." He offered, nervously shuffling his feet as he held out the clothes for her to take. Felicity bit her lower lip shyly, keeping her gaze down and away from his prying eyes as she hastily took the clothes. "Thank you so much Oliver, really." She whispered, glancing back up to him briefly, realizing they were a mere breath's distance away from each other. 

She felt his searching gaze linger on her causing her to shuffle slightly under the weight of it, hoping he would leave soon so she could change. As if reading her mind, and realizing he was lingering too long, he coughing awkwardly and took a step back to head out of the room. "Um, feel free to leave your stuff here. You can pick it up before you guys head out for the night. We'll be in the study when you're done changing." He explained, smiling warmly at her with one last lingering glance before quickly exiting the room to head to the study and give her privacy. 

As soon as the door clicked shut, Felicity let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding. "God, Felicity. This is your best friend Oliver we're talking about. Yes, you were in his room alone with him, but it's not like you're up here for a quickie before studying. Geez, get a grip." She admonished herself in a quiet whisper as she began to peel off her uniform. She pulled on the clothes Oliver had managed to find for her – a pair of still-too-big grey sweatpants and a large white t-shirt that probably fit Oliver like a glove but swallowed her petite torso like it was nothing. Fortunately the sweatpants had elastic cuffs at the ankles so she wouldn't trip over herself in them, and she tucked the front of her shirt into the elastic waistband to at least try to not look like she was five in the over-sized clothing. 

Walking over to the full-length mirror hanging front the door of his closet as she tied her hair up into a more study-appropriate ponytail, she paused in front of it to inspect the result. She let her eyes deliciously devour the sight of herself in Oliver's clothes, and for a fleeting moment she allowed herself to wish it were under different circumstances. Closing her eyes, she breathed in Oliver's woodsy smell that lingered faintly on the clothes. Letting out a deep sigh, she opened her eyes and turned away from her reflection quickly and went to grab her bag before heading to the study. Felicity knew they'd send a search party after her if she took too long, and she didn't want to be caught staring at her reflection so wistfully. Plus, she needed to lock those feelings away again. It was always dangerous to linger on such unfair thoughts for too long. 

Somehow, Felicity managed to find the study on her first try. Despite practically having grown up in this house, she still struggled on occasion with getting around. Her successful trip to the study brought a proud smile to her face as she quietly opened the door, not wanting to bother them. 

They both heard her enter, however, and Tommy gestured her inside with a smile before immediately going back to his work. Oliver was a whole other story, and he really wasn't helping her keep certain thoughts at bay tonight. He smiled at her too when she came in, and then proceeded to do a not so subtle double-take. Felicity smiled back at her boys as she moved across the room, very purposefully avoiding Oliver's lingering gaze. Still, she could feel his eyes looking her over momentarily even as she moved over to the opposite end of the long table. Just when she thought Oliver would never stop staring, he finally looked away when she dropped her back into the chair next to the one she was going to use. After unpacking, she went over to the literal buffet Raisa had set up for them and grabbed a ton of snacks and filled up a mug with coffee before settling into her seat and getting to work. 

**** 

Around 10 pm, after several hours of studying, the trio were clearly restless and none of them were working anymore. The boys were quietly whispering about something, and Felicity found herself not-so-gracefully reclined back in her chair staring at the bookshelf across the room. Hearing some rustling and a chair sliding on the floor, she turned to her left to see Tommy standing up and stretching. Apparently the boys were as in need of a break as she was. "I think this math test is going to kill us Felicity." Tommy said tiredly, rubbing his hand over his face. "Speak for yourself Merlyn. You just need to listen to Felicity's explanations more closely." Oliver mused, throwing a grin Felicity's way as he leaned back into his chair and stretching his arms above his head. 

Felicity let out a tired laugh. The boys had honestly been doing really well, and they were really getting the material. The problem was that they started studying so close to the exam that it would be difficult for them to review so much material in only two days. She went to pick up her coffee, and upon noticing it was empty she made her way over to the table of snacks to refresh her precious fuel source for the evening. Recognizing the futility of trying to study, at least for a while, she made her way over to the boys and plopped down in a chair across from them. 

"You know, as much as I can't wait for this studying to end and winter break to begin this weekend, break really is going to be a bore once Malcolm and Donna leave after Hanukkah, and you guys go up to the cabin Ollie." Tommy grumbled as he made his way over to the snacks to get his own refreshments. 

Felicity put a hand to her chest, feigning insult. "How can you not enjoy my bright and shining presence Tommy? I'm by far the most entertaining person you know." Felicity joked easily. "You know what I mean." He replied while throwing Felicity a faux withering look over his shoulder. 

She did know. Christmas hadn't been a priority for Malcolm since Rebecca died, so Malcolm was taking her mom away for a few weeks on an island vacation once Hanukkah ended on December 23rd. That meant her and Tommy would be home alone for the remainder of their winter break. Usually Felicity would relish so much quiet time, but she always loved spending the whole holiday season with the family. 

As she sipped her coffee in solemn, agreeing silence, Felicity observed Oliver as his brow scrunched in contemplation. After a few moments he looked up to Felicity, clearly having made a decision. "Come with us to the cabin." He stated resolutely, glancing over at Tommy to gauge his reaction as well. "I mean, our families share the cabin so you know you guys are always invited, and I'm sure your parents won't mind since you'll just be at home with nothing better to do anyways. That way we can all celebrate Christmas and New Years together! Plus, Speedy will be so excited to have you guys there that our parents couldn't possibly tell her no." Oliver concluded, smiling hopefully at Felicity. 

Looking over to Tommy, who made his way back over and resumed his post next to Oliver, she felt her mood lighten considerably. Maybe this was the answer to saving their winter break. It also helped that going up to that cabin was one of the fondest aspects of this life of luxury that she'd never get tired of. Tommy's face broke out into the biggest smile and he clapped Oliver on the back. "I thought you'd never ask!" He exclaimed, winking at Felicity as if being invited up to the cabin had been his end game all along. "Since Donna and Malcolm are leaving Christmas Eve morning, we'll leave first thing in the morning too. That way we should be there just in time for dinner. Any thoughts on a New Year's Eve rager?" Tommy suggested with a wiggle of his eyebrows at Oliver. 

Felicity laughed at the suggestion. "I'm pretty sure Moira would skin you both alive if you tried to pull a stunt like that in the cabin." She admonished, still laughing to herself at the image of Moira chasing them out of the house. "Aw, Felicity, you're no fun." Oliver pouted in response, throwing her a pair of puppy dog eyes. Why did those two always give her that look, thinking it would work? _Maybe because it usually does_ , she thought with another laugh. 

Checking her phone, she groaned and rolled her eyes. It was nearing 11 pm already. How had time flown so fast? "Well, with that decided, I do believe we need to get back to work." She gently suggested as she stood up to make her way to her end of the table again. The boys groaned in unison, and definitely grumbled a bit, but they knew she was right. Just a few more hours of work and they could be free to turn in for the night. After a few more minutes of goofing off, mostly from the boys, they settled back into their studious silence again which was only interrupted when they would ask Felicity a question. 

**** 

Somehow, yet not all that surprisingly, the exhaustion that plagued Felicity earlier in the evening finally caught up to her again only about an hour later. She found herself nodding off, barely able to keep her focus anymore. Telling herself she would only rest her eyes for a moment, she crossed her arms on the table and let her head rest on them. She was out before she knew it. 

What felt like mere moments later, she heard voices interrupt her sleep, drawing her into a hazy, half-asleep state. "I think she has the right idea. I'm exhausted man." One voice sighed, the exhaustion and weariness apparent. 

"Same. You guys can stay here tonight then. Text your parents to tell them you'll be staying. We can all just go to school together in the morning, so I doubt they'll mind you staying over." A deeper voice responded, so quietly Felicity almost didn’t hear what he said. 

"What are we going to do with Felicity though, I don't want to wake her. She's had a rough week." The first voice questioned as she heard the faint rustling of papers. After a moment, the other voice spoke. "I'll just carry her up to my room. Her clothes are already there, so she can just stay there for the night. Do you mind packing up her bag and dropping it off?" The deeper voice finally responded, and it sounded like it was getting closer. 

Suddenly, Felicity found herself floating as she was lifted out of her chair bridal style. She stirred momentarily as she was readjusted in the person's grasp to lean more heavily on their broad, warm chest. Sighing at the delicious warmth, she snuggled deeper into the embrace. "Don't worry I've got you Felicity." The deep voice whispered almost tenderly. 

As soon as she was placed down onto what she assumed was a bed, and felt the covers being pulled over her, she snuggled into the comfort of the bed. Before she drifted back to a full sleep, the last thing she remembered was a pair of soft lips brush her forehead accompanied by a whispered goodnight before her night in shining armor departed the room.

That night, Felicity would dream of a pair of blue eyes she hadn't seen in her dreams in some time. 

**** 

_December 24th, Christmas Eve_

Almost six hours into their drive to the Queen-Merlyn cabin, Felicity just couldn't wait any longer. It wasn't just because she'd been in the car for so long – no, her and Tommy had a great time on the drive up, jamming out to songs together and just talking about anything and everything that came to mind. What had Felicity so anxious was simply her excitement to get this vacation started. 

She stared out the window of the car, and watching the majestic snow-covered scenery pass only caused her excitement to build even more. Though she didn't technically celebrate Christmas, she couldn't deny the magical nature of a beautiful, snowy environment around this time of year. As they got closer to the cabin, neighboring houses came into view, and in the dimming light Felicity took a moment to appreciate the various decorations adorning the gorgeous homes. This time of the year was just so whimsical, Felicity thought happily as a small smile spread over her lips. 

Before she knew it, Tommy was pulling into the U-shaped driveway in front of the gorgeous family cabin, and her eyes lit up at how beautiful it looked this year. Moira Queen always did outdo herself when it came to decorating for the holidays. The whole cabin was covered in almost a picture perfect layer of snow, the railing up the staircase and lining the large porch was lined with thick garland flecked with red poinsettias to give it color, the whole house was lined with beautifully soft Christmas lights, and through the windows she could tell it looked even more magical inside. 

Felicity stepped out of Tommy's Audi and quickly fetched her duffel bag from the backseat in an attempt to make her way inside as quickly as possible because it was freezing outside. Next thing she knew, just as she turned around to walk up to the house, she was rammed into by a small body and found a pair of arms clutched around her waist tightly. She certainly lived up to her nickname. "Thea, it's so good to see you!" Felicity giggled as she hugged the young girl tightly. Though Felicity was not her sister by blood, she certainly thought of Thea as her little sister and she knew Thea felt the same. Plus, it was nice to have another girl around to gang up on Oliver and Tommy with. 

Over Thea's head, Felicity saw Oliver and Tommy embrace and Moira and Robert standing together at the top of the steps like the picture-perfect couple they were. Thea tilted her head up to look at Felicity, her arms still tightly wound around her waist. "Happy belated Hanukkah! I have so many gifts for you, but mom said I have to wait until tomorrow to give them." Thea finished with a pout. Felicity let out a light laugh, bringing a hand up to brush the young girls long dark brown locks lovingly. "I can't wait. I think you'll like what I got you too." Felicity replied with playful wink before her eyes flicked up to see that Oliver had approached them finally. 

"Thea, can't I have a turn to say hi to Felicity?" He asked with a broad grin on his face. "Nuh uh, Ollie. She's all mine!" Thea replied, sticking her tongue out at her brother before hugging Felicity tighter to her. 

Felicity and Oliver shared a knowing laugh at the young girl's antics. "It seems like the jury has spoken Oliver." Felicity teased, hugging the young Queen tighter to her body as well. With an annoyed huff, Oliver rolled his eyes before grinning back down to the pair. "Thea, why don't we let Felicity come inside. It's freezing out here." Oliver suggested, his hint clear to finally let Felicity go. 

But, of course, Thea never listened. Though she ended the embrace, Thea quickly grabbed Felicity's hand before Oliver could get to her and practically dragged her inside past an amused Robert and Moira, to whom Felicity threw an apologetic smile for not being able to greet them properly at the moment. Once inside, Thea finally released Felicity and flew into Tommy's waiting arms. Felicity looked on with a tender smile as Tommy lifted the young girl off the ground and swung her around a few times. Who would have guessed that Tommy Merlyn would be such a great brother figure. 

As the scene unfolded before her, Felicity felt Oliver step up next to her and she naturally leaned into him when he threw his right arm over her shoulders. In response, she easily wrapped an arm around his waist and tilted her head to rest on his shoulder. "I'm glad you guys could make it. You didn't have any trouble getting here?" Oliver asked her softly.  
Shaking her head minutely against his shoulder, she angled her head up slightly to try and look into his searching gaze. "Nope." Felicity said with a pop of the 'p'. "The drive was actually lovely. I can't get enough of the scenery up here." She replied with a wistful note to her voice. 

Before Oliver could respond his parents came around to greet her, and she tried her best not to show how much she missed Oliver's embrace after he was forced to release her so she could say hello. 

"Mr. Queen, Mrs. Queen, thank you so much for having us." Felicity beamed at Moira, giving the matriarch a light hug and kiss on the cheek before turning to Robert and giving him a hug as well. Knowing now how cold the heads of the Queen family usually are, Felicity was always astounded that she was somehow lucky enough to be on a hugging basis with them. Well, she knew why. Because somehow she was the only person who could even remotely keep their son out of trouble. 

Moira gave Felicity an affectionate pat on the cheek and a soft smile. "Nonsense dear, you know we always love having you and Tommy around." She replied in her almost stately tone. As Tommy came over, carrying Thea in his arms, Moira spoke up again, "Thea, let go of Tommy. He and Felicity need to take their stuff to their rooms, and all of you need to go get ready for dinner." Moira admonished lightly, watching a pouting Thea slide back down to the floor. 

As Moira and Robert left to go to the kitchen to check on dinner's progress, the four of them trudged up the stairs to go get ready. Oliver and Thea turned left at the top of the stairs to go to the Queen's half of the living wing, and Tommy and Felicity went right. Since Malcolm wasn't with them, Tommy treated himself to the master bedroom while Felicity made her way to her usual room towards the beginning of the hall. It's not like Felicity felt the need to occupy the master suite since her own bedroom was far bigger than any one (normal) person could possibly want. 

Felicity took her time before dinner, just wanting to enjoy the sense of peace that had come over her sense her arrival. She unpacked slowly before washed up a bit to rid herself of the grime from travel. An hour later, Felicity made her way downstairs dressed in a conservative darker red dress to get into the spirit of the holidays. She knew she was the last to arrive, so she made her way directly to the dining room to join everyone for dinner. 

Boy did the Queens know how to go all out for the holidays. Taking her seat next to Thea on the long side of the table and directly to Moira's left, Felicity gaped at the literal feast laid out before them and admired how the table had been decorated to perfection for the holiday. 

Throughout dinner, conversation had been light with a brief discussion of how school was going, and the Queen's asking about their Hanukkah celebrations, and at some point Robert and Felicity began discussing her passion for computers as he threw not so subtle hints that he was dying for her to come work for them after her first year at college. About midway through dessert though, the conversation turned towards Oliver, Tommy and Felicity's plans for college next year, causing Felicity to go uncharacteristically silent. 

"Oliver, Tommy, I wanted to let you boys know I spoke with the Dean of Admissions at Stanford a few days ago and he said you're both on the acceptance list. These aren't official offers yet, but it's just a matter of the Dean putting the decision on paper at this point." Robert informed them with a proud smile. At the news Thea bounced up and down excitedly in her seat and loudly congratulating her two older brothers. 

Felicity threw them both a big smile and mouthed congratulations as the two boys fist bumped and turned to her with equally large grins of pride and excitement. There was no doubt those two would have a lot of fun together next year. 

As if on cue, the sense of happiness Felicity felt didn't last long. "Felicity, dear, we haven't heard much about your plans for college. What are you thinking?" Moira inquired innocently. Felicity knew she was genuinely curious, yet unaware that Felicity had been dreading this very moment. 

Felicity stared at her plate of the famous Queen family Christmas cake in front of her as she took a rather large bite to buy herself some time to figure out how to phrase her next words carefully. She didn't want to reveal anything too soon since she hadn't heard any definitive decisions regarding admissions yet. 

She finally turned her gaze to Moira so as to avoid the intense, weighty stare she could feel coming from the boys (but mostly Oliver if she was being honest). "Honestly, I'm not really sure yet. I mean, I know I want to study computer science, that's a given." Felicity began with a nervous laugh. "I want to go to the schools with the best programs, but those programs are going to be highly competitive, so I had to apply to a lot of different schools. Let me see... I applied to Princeton, MIT, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, Stanford too of course, and a few others. I haven't decided where to go yet. I'm just waiting to see where I'm admitted." She finished lamely with a small shrug, hoping they wouldn't notice that she'd mostly listed schools on the East coast. Taking a quick glance around the table, she knew she wasn't so lucky. 

Thea, bless her little heart, unknowingly saved her from a difficult conversation with her selective hearing. "If you go to Stanford, you guys will get to stay together!" Thea practically squealed, looking between Felicity, Tommy and Oliver with hopeful eyes. "Wouldn't that be so much fun Felicity?" Thea eagerly inquired, pinning her expectant eyes on Felicity. "That really would be fun." She replied softly, giving Thea what she hoped was a genuine smile. 

"If I had known you applied to Stanford, I would have happily spoken to the board on your behalf Felicity!" Robert stated, throwing Felicity a slightly concerned look. He knows, or at least she thinks he has an idea of why she hadn't brought it up sooner. She's pretty sure the only one who didn't put two and two together is Thea. 

"Thank you so much, Mr. Queen. That means a lot to me, but you know how I am." She deflected vaguely while nervously tucking some her loose hairs behind an ear. An uneasy silence settled over the room for the slightest of moments before Moira thankfully saved everyone from the awkwardness that would ensue had the silence persisted. "My has it gotten late. I think it's about time to turn in for the night – we have a big day tomorrow." Moira suggested. She was right though. They would most certainly be up early because Thea would force everyone out of bed to open presents as early as possible, Felicity thought as she observed the younger Queen practically bouncing in her seat in excitement for the morning to come. 

With that not so subtle dismissal, everyone made their way upstairs to their respective rooms. What Felicity didn't miss was Oliver's stare that hadn't left her since she'd attempted to nonchalantly describe her impending college plans. She knew he wanted to talk to her about it, but she couldn't handle that right now, not when the holidays were supposed to be a happy time. She wasn't sure she would even get into half of the colleges she'd listed, so she might still end up at Stanford or elsewhere nearby and it would all be moot. 

Fortunately, both Tommy and Oliver seemed to understand that it wasn't the time or place to discuss her earlier admission and let her escape to her room in peace. As the door shut quietly behind her, Felicity let out a breath she'd been holding and leaned heavily against her door. Hopefully this would all blow over so they could all just have a happy vacation together. 

****

Thank goodness for Felicity, the whole thing had been forgotten pretty quickly. Well, Tommy seemed to have almost forgotten entirely, but Oliver still seemed concerned on occasion. She didn't miss his attempts to catch her alone several times, or the searching looks he still periodically threw her direction. Felicity hated how well he knew her since he seemed to intuitively sense that there was more to her story than she let on. 

Other than those occasional moments, things had been great. Christmas was a lovely affair, and she received so many gifts from the Queen family that she thought she might need a second duffel bag to take them all back with her. Later that day they had yet another lovely sit down dinner after the teens spent the day outside building snowmen. The next day, a terrible snow storm hit, temporarily keeping the group confined to the house until the weather died down and the roads could be cleared. To pass the time, they played so many rounds of Monopoly that Felicity was sure Tommy was no longer one of Thea's favorites anymore. 

Much to Felicity's dread, some of the time had also been spent baking various Christmas cookies. Felicity was pretty sure that she would always be terrible at cooking or baking, so as a consolation she got to decorate the cookies with Thea's help once they were done baking. It had been one of her more favorite activities surprisingly. Sure, they all made a terrible mess of the kitchen by getting flour, sugar, and the various icings all over the kitchen, but spending that time with her three favorite people doing something so menial as baking and sharing gut-busting laughs was a precious memory for Felicity. 

And before they knew it, it was already New Years Eve and they would have to return to reality in a few days. But, of course, not before one last party to ring in the New Year. 

Felicity stared at her reflection critically, running her hands over her dress a few times, turning right to left with a small frown on her face. She brought this black and gold sparkly dress because it was New Year's themed, but she wondered if maybe it was too over the top. It was a too be smaller, more intimate party as the Queen's had invited over a few of the families they knew who also had cabins nearby. In short, Felicity couldn't help but wonder if this was too inappropriate for such a small gathering. 

Pulling her brunette locks into a messy up-do, Felicity contemplated her dress one last time before shrugging in resignation. It's not like she really had much of a choice. She hadn't thought to pack another dress, so she was stuck with it. She just had to hope that she wouldn't manage to accidentally cause anyone's great grandmother to roll in their grave. 

It was already 10 pm and she could hear the guests mingling downstairs, and it sounded more crowded than she thought it would be. Pulling on a pair of short black heels, she took a deep breath and made her way downstairs finally. 

A quick scan of the room revealed that there were indeed more people here than she thought, and actually smiled at that. More people meant blending in and less offending. Felicity also noticed that Oliver and Tommy had attached themselves to two girls whom she assumed were children of some of the guests. _Classic_ , Felicity thought with a subtle roll of her eyes. Next thing she saw was Thea, and she made her way over to her new companion for the night quickly. 

"Felicity!" Thea squeaked with wide eyes. "You look awesome." She breathed in awe as she looked Felicity up and down. With a small blush, Felicity gave her a relieved smile in response. Even at such a young age, Thea already had a knack for fashion, so if she approved it definitely made Felicity relax a bit. "Thank you Thea. I really was worried that it was too much. You look really cute by the way." And she did. The young girl was sporting a cute silver dress with fringe adoring the whole dress and paired it with simple black flats. 

The biggest smile Felicity had ever seen lit up Thea's face at the compliment, and the reaction warmed Felicity's mood. Before she knew it, Thea took her hand and was dragging her towards the kitchen to grab something to drink and some of the snacks, telling her she absolutely had to try the cheese puffs while they're fresh. 

Felicity tried to spend as much time with Thea as possible, but she somehow eventually found herself accompanying Robert Queen around the room for a good 45 minutes. As one of the two Merlyn family representatives present, and with her brother missing in action ( _*cough, cough*_ ), the duty fell to her to make some small talk with the other wealthy names present. Only, Robert also spent much of his time talking up Felicity and her accomplishments as if she were his own daughter. Even more surprising was that some of the people she talked to were actually interested in her plans and seemed to want to talk to her again after she completed her first year of college. 

As the countdown to the New Year approached, Felicity departed Robert's company gratefully, exhausted from all the stuffy business talk. She eventually found her way to the kitchen and took the opportunity to linger there in peace while contemplatively munching on some snacks. Everyone else had already assembled in the packed living room to prepare for the countdown and take their place next to whomever they wanted to ring in the New Year with. 

"Hey there, stranger." 

Felicity jumped at the sudden voice behind her and dropped the remainder of a cheese puff in surprise. She really didn't expect anyone to find her in here, let alone him of all people. She hadn't seen him all night and just figured he still was off with that girl she saw on his arm earlier. 

"Frack! Oliver! Look what you made me do. I was really enjoying that cheese puff too." She whined, picking up the fallen soldier from the floor and waving it in his face before tossing it out. 

"Why aren't you in the other room with everyone else?" He asked softly, his annoyingly handsome blue eyes boring into her own in an attempt to root out the truth.  
Straight to the point, huh. So much for attempting to deflect with humor. "I really was hungry after all that small talk with your father, and this was the perfect time to grab some food while everyone is in the other room. And... I was going to head that way in a minute." Felicity finished lamely. Lies. She had no plan to join the festivities, but if she told him that he would really be concerned. "Why are you in here?" She asked in an attempt to turn the tables on him. 

With a sheepish smile, he held something towards her and Felicity let out a small gasp. "I figured one champagne couldn't hurt, plus my parents never have to know. That and I really was looking for you." Oliver threw out casually. He leaned against the edge of the island, looking so unfairly handsome in his tan pants and white button-up shirt. 

Felicity eagerly took the proffered flute of champagne and took a sip, letting out a small, satisfying moan. The Queen's had great taste in champagne indeed. Suddenly what Oliver said registered with her and she let out a disbelieving scoff. "What happened to that girl from earlier?" She asked bitterly before she could stop herself. 

Oliver stilled next to her, giving her a puzzled look. Surely he was confused as to what she was referring to, and hopefully he wasn't really wondering why her tone sounded almost jealous. For some reason, her strange behavior around Oliver had been happening more frequently. Sure, Felicity had a crush on Oliver a few years ago, who didn't within a 1,000 ft radius of him? But, the unfortunate side effect of also being best friends with him meant other feelings had developed recently. For the most part, Felicity managed to ignore it, and she knew that with college looming on the horizon that she only had to ignore it for a few more months and then she wouldn't see him nearly as often. Lately though, these slips had been almost unconscious, like she didn't know what was causing them. 

"I thought it was perfectly reasonable to want to ring in the New Year with your best friend whom might be moving across the country in a few months." Oliver threw back at her. 

Felicity's shocked gaze snapped to his instantly. Clearly he was still bothered, but probably more bothered by the fact that she had yet to really talk to him about it. She wanted to remind him that she didn't really owe him an explanation. She wanted to tell him that it didn't really matter, that he'd have Tommy to keep him company next year. But this was her best friend. The one person she confided in most, even more than Tommy at times. 

"Oliver, I- " Felicity began, ready to talk about it, ready to tell him that she just wanted time away from this life to find herself again, ready to tell him she was sorry for hiding from him. Today would not be that day though. Loud chants of the countdown began from the other room, "20... 19... 18..." 

Knowing the moment to talk had passed, Oliver shook his head and gave her a sad smile. "This should be a happy moment. That's a topic for another day." He whispered, raising his champagne glass to her. "Here's to best friends and hopefully many more years of us. I'm so lucky you came into my life all those years ago." He finished quietly, his intense gaze holding her captive as if he was trying to make her feel that he meant what he said to his very core. 

Cheers of Happy New Year rung out loudly from the other room, bringing Felicity back to reality and out of the depths of Oliver's very soul. She clinked her glass to his, "I hope so too, Oliver. Happy New Year." She whispered before tossing back her entire flute with him. 

Although Felicity was technically stone cold sober, she couldn't honestly say how the next few moments came to be. But she knew she'd remember it for the rest of her life.

After downing her glass in one go and placing it on the counter, only then did she realize that somehow she and Oliver were nearly chest to chest. And Felicity found herself staring openly at the very nice chest involved that belonged to Oliver Queen. 

Felicity looked up to meet Oliver's eyes once again, searching his gaze with a silent question in her own eyes. What that question was, Felicity certainly didn't know. But apparently, she found her answer. 

With her decision made she pushed herself onto her toes, placed a steadying hand gently on Oliver's chest and pressed her lips softly to Oliver's, letting her lips gently caress his lower lip in the softest of kisses. If Felicity wasn't so focused on getting the kiss right, she might even say Oliver definitely, maybe met her halfway. That was another dangerous set of thoughts she didn't dare explore. 

The kiss lasted mere seconds in reality, but it felt like minutes to Felicity as she lost herself in the feel of his gentle lips caressing her own. Just as she felt Oliver's fingertips on her cheek as he attempted to cup her face, the action seemed to snap her back to reality. 

She jumped back quickly, knocking into the barstool behind her before recovering and stepping around him and backing towards the door. "Uh yeah, Happy New Year... again... Oliver." She squeaked before barreling out of the room, but not before catching the desperate "Fe-li-city..." from Oliver. 

With suspiciously rosy cheeks, whether from the alcohol, the kiss or both, Felicity tried to casually make her way through the crowd and up to her room unnoticed, or at least before Oliver could come after her. Stopping only twice to say Happy New Year to Thea and her brother, Felicity managed to sneak up to her room as quickly as possible.  
Shutting the door and locking it behind her, she toed off her heels and fell back on her bed. Felicity couldn't say how long she stared at the ceiling, but it was certainly long enough to realize two things: 1) she was certifiably insane for kissing Oliver, and 2) he wasn't coming for her. 

At the realization of the last fact, Felicity didn't know whether she was relieved or disappointed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehe sorry, not sorry for that ending. Who doesn't love a bit of a dramatic ending though?
> 
> Things really start to pick up after this, so I can't wait to get the next update to you guys!


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Gives self a high five* I actually posted within a reasonable amount of time!
> 
> I just want to say I'm so glad you guys are enjoying this so far, and I hope I can live up to expectations as we get deeper into the plot and story as we go along.
> 
> Oliver finally manages to corner Felicity in this one, so enjoy the Olicity heavy chapter guys!

_Five Months Later_

Relieved. That was the overwhelming decision her brain and heart had settled on in the weeks and months following that ill-conceived New Year's kiss. 

The remaining time spent at cabin had been... awkward. Felicity had gone back to studiously avoiding Oliver, which she seemed to be doing a lot of lately, and Oliver had seemed more than happy to not bring it up either, but that also meant some awkward eye contact and a few stilted conversations between the two. And that awkwardness was what Felicity had been dreading. It was exactly why Felicity had told herself years ago that Oliver was off limits. It was better to preserve their one-of-a-kind friendship than risk losing that special connection with unrequited feelings. So, what possessed Felicity to kiss Oliver that night and risk losing his friendship, she'll never know. 

The eventual departure from the cabin just days later had been a welcome return to reality for Felicity. She could return to her normal routine and leave her memory of the kiss at the cabin where it belonged. Out of sight, out of mind, right? 

The first week or two after winter break had still been awkward, but after a while it seemed her and Oliver had come to a silent agreement of sorts. Neither of them were quite ready to acknowledge what happened at the cabin, so they both seemed to understand that it was best to forget about it for the time being. Felicity missed her best friend, and she certainly wasn't ready nor would she probably ever be ready to hash out her feelings with Oliver. 

So, yes, Felicity was relieved. Though Felicity would always secretly treasure that brief moment with Oliver, she was relieved to have her friend back. With only a few months remaining until they went their separate ways, the last thing she wanted was that awkward kiss looming over their heads. 

Once Felicity and Oliver settled back into their easy friendship, the final few months of their senior year had flown by and they were just days away from graduation. To celebrate the occasion, and Oliver's 18th birthday which just so happened to be the same day, Oliver was throwing a huge bash at his mansion in just a few days time. 

This party was the most talked about event among their peers at school, and from the sound of it the party was definitely going to live up to all the hype surrounding it. Or, at least that was Felicity opinion from what she was hearing from Oliver and Tommy. 

It was the Saturday beforehand, and somehow Felicity had been roped into a movie night with the boys which also doubled as a final planning session for the party next week. They were hanging out at the Merlyn mansion tonight and found themselves spread out around the huge L-shaped couch in the movie room with a small stockpile of snacks to munch on throughout the night. Since the boys were the real masterminds behind this event, they occupied one side of the couch so they could look over order forms and what not while Felicity sprawled out on the long side of the couch with the bowl of popcorn and the movie to keep her company. 

"You're sure you've got access to alcohol for next weekend Ollie?" Tommy asked desperately. The whole party hinged on having alcohol there, and Felicity knew Tommy would absolutely lose it if that didn't go to plan. 

Oliver gave Tommy a slap on the back with a teasing laugh. "Who do you think I am? Of course I got access to alcohol. The DJ finally confirmed the date too, so we also have that going for us!" Oliver announced, his voice containing an underlying giddiness at how awesome this party was going to be. 

Felicity rolled her eyes before shoving a handful of popcorn into her mouth. "I don't know how you convinced Moira and Robert to take Thea and go on a weekend vacation. I'm honestly impressed." Felicity joked around her mouthful of popcorn. She was sure Moira and Robert knew what was going to happen, so they had to be out of their mind thinking this was okay. 

With a devious grin, Oliver threw her a sly wink. "I have my ways Smoak." He announced proudly. "How about you, are you excited? I know Tommy and I kind of took over the planning, but this is a party for the three of us, so I want you to be excited about it too." Oliver questioned as a slightly more concerned look passed over his features. Felicity laughed and waved off his concerns. "I'm the last person you'd want to help you plan this, so I'm more than happy to leave that part to you guys. But yeah, I'm actually excited. It'll be good practice for college so I won't seem so out of place, being so young and all." Felicity joked easily as she passed the boys the popcorn. "The real question, though, is are you excited for your 18th birthday?" She asked pointedly to Oliver. 

Oliver's jovial smile faltered slightly before he recovered and gave a noncommittal shrug. "I hear it's just like any other day, you just wake up with your new mark. People always hype it up. I guess it only lives up to the hype if happen to already know who has your matching mark." Felicity didn't miss the wistful look in his eyes, as if he really did hope it would be a special day. "The only part of it I'm excited for is to see if my mark is cooler than yours Tommy." Oliver jeered lightly at his friend. 

"Hey! Don't knock my mark. It's actually kind of growing on me." Tommy mumbled while shooting Oliver a glare which he quickly turned on Felicity as the first giggles escaped her. Tommy's 18th birthday had been an interesting day for sure, for several reasons. 

His birthday occurred about a month after they returned from the cabin, and of course Donna threw a huge bash in his honor. Even though she wasn't his biological mom, Donna spoiled and doted on him like he was her own. 

That morning though, Tommy had come bursting through her door, waking her up an hour before her alarm was supposed to go off, and flopped on her bed whining about his brand new soulmark. A medium-sized solid black bird in flight had appeared on his right shoulder blade, and needless to say Tommy was more than upset at first. He thought a bird tattoo was too girly and that people would make fun of him for it. After admonishing Tommy for waking her, she told him he was being overly dramatic and that nobody had to know. His soulmark was his own business and it's meaning was usually very special to each pair. To placate Tommy even further, Felicity had taken a look at his mark and done some surface research for him. After figuring out that the bird was a canary, she told Tommy that it traditionally symbolized healing and hope, so it sounded like his soulmate would be really special. Tommy had relaxed a bit at this knowledge and eventually left with a new appreciation for his mark. 

"Speaking of soulmarks and soulmates, how are you and Laurel doing Ollie? She's going to be there on Saturday, right?" Tommy asked with genuine curiosity while munching on fistfulls of popcorn. Felicity stilled slightly, and went a little too quiet at the mention of Oliver's girlfriend. 

That was another reason Felicity and Oliver had never discussed the kiss. Incidentally, Oliver and Laurel first got together at Tommy's birthday bash and had been dating ever since. They were known as the celebrity couple around school. Not only did they make an attractive couple, but with Laurel's law school aspirations and Oliver's family legacy everyone thought they would make the ultimate power couple if they turned out to be soulmates. It also helped (or didn't, depending on who you asked) that Laurel was going to accompany them to Stanford. It was like a match made in heaven in some ways. 

Oliver shrugged again and gave a small smile that didn't really reach his eyes though. "We're all right. Her dad hasn't exactly been my number one fan, but Laurel has managed to mostly keep him off my back. She said she's going to be there. I think she said figured out a way to sneak over to the party without alerting her dad. At least I hope so." Oliver laughed softly. Though Oliver and Laurel had settled into an easy relationship, Captain Lance definitely kept his daughter on a tight leash, especially when it came to Oliver Queen and his partying ways. 

Tommy nodded his head slowly, "Yeah, hopefully. I wasn't sure of her at first, but I like having her around. She seems to fit in with us easily." Tommy supplied casually, blissfully unaware of Felicity's reaction to the mention of Laurel, the conversation dying out after that final statement as they all turned their attention to the movie finally. 

It wasn't that Felicity didn't like Laurel, she just didn't dislike her either. Her feelings weren't just because she was dating Oliver either. Sure, Felicity's heart clenched a bit at the thought of Oliver with another woman, but she and Laurel just didn't mesh well. Felicity had been nothing but civil to her, and she really did try to make an effort in the early days for Oliver's sake, but Laurel had been passive in response and barely made an attempt to get to know Felicity. On the other hand, she had taken to Tommy immediately and they formed a fast, easy-going friendship. And that hurt. Felicity was as much a part of Oliver's life as Tommy, and if Laurel was indeed there for the long-term, then you'd think Laurel would at least attempt to befriend her too. 

Pulling herself from her thoughts after a few moments, Felicity could feel the frown marring her usually bright features, and she could see Oliver giving her a concerned look out of the corner of her eye. He must have an idea that she and Laurel don't necessarily get along, he'd have to be blind not to see that. She shot him a small smile, hoping to placate him for the moment. Knowing Oliver cared for Laurel, Felicity would continue to try and get along with the girl. She'd always try for Oliver's sake.

****

_One week later_

Felicity was sweating like crazy. Why, oh why did tonight of all nights have to be so warm. She knew that it'd be hot at the party since there were so many people in attendance at the party of the year, but the added effect of the warm night almost made it unbearable. Felicity had dressed in a flowy, teal summer dress, which she paired with off-white wedges, and she even had her hair up in a bun, all in an effort to keep herself cool but still look good while doing it. She had no such luck though as she could feel the beads of sweat rolling down her neck and the hairs at the base of her head already plastered to her skin there. 

Pushing through the crowds of drunk, boisterous teenagers, Felicity emerged outdoors finally to get a breath of fresh air and to grab a drink from the makeshift bar. Though Felicity wasn't about to get wasted tonight, that didn't mean she was totally against imbibing. And when it was as hot as it was tonight, a nice cold beer was the perfect remedy; well, really, it was the only cold drink readily available, but details. After filling a disposable cup with some nameless, watery beer from an ice-cold keg, Felicity took a moment to scan the crowd that had gathered outside around the pool area. She had arrived separately from Tommy, who'd come early to set everything up and make sure things went off without a hitch, and in the hour that she'd been here she had yet to see her brother or Oliver, whom she still had to wish Happy Birthday. 

"Looking for me?" A voice to her right suggested suddenly. Not having noticed her new companion approach, Felicity nearly jumped out of her skin when the voice cut through her thoughts. Turning to her right to see the speaker, Felicity tried not to look too disappointed. "Oh, Carter, hi. Are you enjoying the party?" She inquired politely. Carter Bowen was certainly not whom she had been searching for moments ago, and he was probably the last person she wanted to talk to. Felicity thought Oliver had been exaggerating when he described how annoying Carter was, but after meeting him at a gala a few years ago she knew Oliver was telling the truth. 

Carter flashed her a perfect smile, "I'm definitely enjoying the party now that you're here." He said, clearly trying to flirt with Felicity. A shudder involuntarily passed through Felicity at the thought. Never in this life would she ever fall for Carter Bowen. Plan A: distract him with his ego until she can get away. She placed a hand on his arm and did her best to look interested, "Carter, tell me about your college plans again." Felicity requested, plastering a smile on her face. 

Carter smiled at her and puffed up his chest a bit. "Well, I'm going to Harvard and then the plan is to continue on to their medical school. I want to be a neurosurgeon, you see." He boasted. God, he was practically preening. "You're going to be at MIT, right? Maybe we can get together while we're there since we'll both be in the area." He suggested smoothly, leaning a bit closer to Felicity. 

Crap. So much for trying to distract him from his original intentions. Felicity's eyes frantically glanced around her to look for her escape when she saw Oliver approaching them. A wide smile broke out across her face at the sight of her knight in shining armor. She, however, missed the glare he fixed at Felicity's hand that was still placed on Carter's arm. Abandoning her half-full beer on a table behind her, she crashed into Oliver's arms as soon as he reached the pair. He stumbled slightly, probably from being drunk, before regaining his balance and clutching onto Felicity tightly. "Happy Birthday, Oliver." She whispered softly. 

"Mmm.." He hummed softly, "Thank you, Felicity." He replied just as softly and squeezed her gently before pulling back from the embrace to fix Carter Bowen with a glare again. "Carter. Good to see you." Oliver stated, but his tone clearly indicated the opposite. Moira had always fawned over Carter every time he and his family were around, and Oliver had never hidden his jealousy of Carter very well. Glancing between the boys, Felicity rolled her eyes. This should be interesting. 

Carter fixed Oliver with a cocky smile, "Oliver. This really is some party." He complimented before going in for the kill. "Felicity and I were just talking about seeing each other occasionally while we're in Boston for school. Too bad you'll be so far away." Carter goaded, practically sneering at Oliver. Though Oliver never hid his jealousy well, he was normally very good at resisting Carter's attempts to get him to act on that jealousy. Oliver must be drunker than he seemed because his entire body tensed up like a spring ready to pounce at Carter's prodding, and Felicity saw the momentary look of pure jealousy and rage flash behind his eyes. Oh hell no. She was not about to be the subject of this pissing contest like she was some object. 

Just as Felicity rounded on Oliver to tell him to back off and let it go, Laurel sidled up to him and wrapped herself around one of his arms. "Hi Felicity, Carter." Laurel said sweetly. "Mind if I steal my man from you guys. I still need to give him his birthday gift." Laurel said suggestively with a wink at Felicity before practically dragging Oliver away and back into the house. Felicity, who was still in shock at Laurel's sudden arrival and the pair's prompt departure, just stared at Oliver as Laurel dragged him away. He looked back with an apologetic smile and a look clearly saying he'd hope to see her later. She hadn't seen him all night, and the few minutes she got to spend with him were spent trying to fight Carter Bowen before he was dragged away again by his girlfriend whom she didn't get along with. What a fun night this was turning out to be. 

"So, Felicity, about hanging out in Boston." Carter lamely attempted to continue, the mood clearly having been ruined by Oliver's arrival. Felicity turned to him and with a half-hearted smile. "I, um, need to use the bathroom. It was nice talking with you Carter, I'll see you around." She placated before turning and quickly heading back into the house and as far away from Carter as possible.

The rest of the evening, Felicity had spent time talking with a few of her acquaintances from school and she even partnered up with Tommy (who'd finally come out of the bedroom he'd been hiding out in) to play a few games of beer pong together. Felicity discovered she wasn't the best at the game, but she had fun laughing at her terrible attempts with her brother by her side. 

****

As it neared midnight, Felicity decided to get away for a bit and take a break from the seemingly endless energy of the party. That and she was a little more drunk than she thought after those beer pong games, so she wanted to sober up a bit. Her first choice was to hang out by the pool to get some relief from the still sweltering heat, but there were too many people crowded around the pool still, so she continued on past the pool and out into the Queen's elegantly manicured garden. She was headed to one of her favorite spots, somewhere secluded and somewhere only she knew existed. On her way to her spot, she definitely passed more than a few couples who were hidden in the garden's many bushes making out. Drunk Felicity definitely giggled at the cliche behavior. 

Meandering through the garden, she finally arrived at the beautiful man-made pond located at the back of the property near the edge of the trees. The sound of the rushing water flowing over the gorgeous 10-ft tall stone waterfall feeding into the pond brought a smile to her lips. The rim of the pond was sporadically dotted with small lights and filled out by all kinds of flowers and bushes to complete the soothing atmosphere. With a soft smile, Felicity toed off her wedges and walked over to perch on a large rock with a relatively flat surface, letting her feet dip into the pond. The cool waters instantly soothed her aching feet and brought a contented sigh to her lips. 

Hearing the grass shifting behind her, she glanced over her shoulder to see Oliver approaching. So, he did have time for her after all. She gave him a beautiful smile as she patted the rock next to her. He smiled at her, the corners of his eyes crinkling slightly, as he came to sit next to her, practically shoulder-to-shoulder. 

After a few second of silence, Felicity couldn't help but break it. "Not that I'm complaining, but how'd you find me?" Felicity asked softly, looking out over the pond as she gently paddled her feet in it. 

"I know how much you like this place." He offered with a knowing smile, "And I may or may not have followed you because I've been trying to spend time with you all night." He confessed sheepishly. "I can't believe you've resorted to stalking me to try and find time to hang out with me." Felicity joked easily, bumping her shoulder with his and earning a soft laugh at how ridiculous it all sounded. 

Turning to Felicity, Oliver leveled her with an apologetic look again, "Felicity, I'm so sorry about Laurel earlier..." He started and Felicity twisted her body to fix him with an unamused stare before turning back to the pond as the signature crease between her brows appeared. "Oliver," she interrupted, "Can we please not talk about Laurel." Felicity requested. Laurel was the last thing Felicity wanted to talk about with Oliver, especially since her time with him had been so sparse lately. 

She could see Oliver nodding his head slowly out of the corner of her eye as a brief silence settled over them. "Can we talk about us then?" Oliver gently asked after a slightly awkward minute. Felicity's heart leapt momentarily, "Us?" She nearly squeaked. Unless something happened between him and Laurel in the last hour or so, she was confused as to what he was referring to and her slightly tipsy brain was running amok with ideas. 

"Well, we never really talked about MIT." He explained. "I just don't understand why you didn't want to come to Stanford with me and Tommy. It's an amazing school, and we'll be there too. Not that I'd ever force you to come to Stanford, but it just seems like there's more for you there. So, why are you leaving to go to MIT? And why didn't you want to tell us?" Oliver pleaded, hoping to finally understand why she was leaving. The mention of finally having the talk about MIT sobered Felicity up quickly. 

Felicity turned to Oliver and reached out to take his right hand in her left, lacing their fingers together. "You know I love you guys, right?" Felicity started, giving his hand a squeeze to emphasize her point. "Why then? Why are you leaving us? Are we not enough for you?" He asked softly, almost sounding defeated as he focused his gaze on their intertwined hands. 

"I guess I just wanted to do something for myself, as selfish as that sounds. This life of wealth and connections, it isn't me. I'm still that little girl who's the daughter of a poor Vegas cocktail waitress, underneath it all. Stanford would have been fun, and on paper it makes sense. But, it just felt like I would have been following Malcolm's connections, like I wouldn't have earned it myself." She confessed, and honestly she hoped her reasons didn't sound as silly as they seemed. "I wanted to go to MIT to show myself that I've earned my place without anyone's help and to figure out what I want out of life without any of Malcolm's monetary influence." Felicity explained slowly, choosing her words carefully. "I really am going to miss you and Tommy, but I just need some time to figure things out on my own and to grow as a person. I didn't tell you guys right away because I was afraid you wouldn't understand. You two were just so excited about the thought of me at Stanford with you guys." She admitted quietly, finally turning to look at him to gauge his reaction. 

The slight slump in Oliver's shoulders and the almost lost look on his face told her everything she needed to know. He did understand her reason, but that didn't mean he had to like it. "If this is what's going to make you happy, Felicity, then I couldn't be more happy for you." He finally conceded, turning his gaze to meet her eyes finally. "As long as I can come visit every weekend, that is." He joked, trying to cut the somber mood with a bit of humor. 

Felicity's head tilted back with a spontaneous laugh, "Of course I want you to come visit, but you know you can't visit every weekend. You still have to attend your own school and I'll be busy with my own work, silly. I'm still planning on coming home for breaks too, so we can always see each other then. It's not like I'm going to fall off the face of the Earth." She comforted, giving his fingers another squeeze. Oliver gave her a sideways grin, his thumb gently stroking the back of her hand in response. "I know, I was just teasing. But I'm still coming to visit at some point. I want to see what all the fuss is about." He explained earning a smile from Felicity. "I'd love that." She agreed. 

The pair sat hand-in-hand after that, just enjoying each other's company now that that difficult conversation was past them. After a few minutes, Oliver suddenly disentangled his hand from Felicity's and shifted next to her. "I forgot, I wanted to show you something!" He said excitedly. Next thing Felicity knew, Oliver was pulling his shirt over his head. Turning her head away quickly, a hot blush stained her cheeks. "Oliver! What are you doing?" She gasped, trying to look anywhere but at Oliver. 

She felt his fingers tugging at her hand again, signaling her to look. "Relax, this is what I wanted to show you." He quietly urged, turning his body to face her more fully. When Felicity finally dared to look at him, she noticed it immediately and her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes flicked up to his momentarily out of shock before sliding back down to his torso. 

There it was. A lone mark on his otherwise unmarred torso. It was a long, thin arrow in the most beautiful shade of emerald green. The feathered end started above his waist line on the left side of his stomach and extended up his torso where the tip of the arrow stopped just below his left pectoral. For a stunned moment, Felicity simply drank in the image before her, committing every detail to memory. It really was a simple yet beautiful marking. 

"Pretty cool, huh?" Oliver finally said with a proud grin, breaking the brief silence that had enveloped the pair. Felicity laughed softly at how excited he was, "Tommy must have been jealous when you showed him." Felicity guessed with a hint of amusement in her tone. 

Oliver paused slightly, his brow crinkling thoughtfully. "Actually, you're the first person to see it." He confessed as his eyes dropped down to his new mark, his right hand coming up to trace the pattern almost lovingly. Just like that the crinkle reappeared between Felicity's brows. "Tommy hasn't seen it yet? Laurel too?" Felicity asked in disbelief. 

Pulling his shirt back on, Oliver shook his head. "Nope. You really are the first to see it." He confirmed before turning his attention back out to the pond. "I don't exactly know why, but I felt like you had to see it, you needed to be the first." He stated and paused for a minute to consider what he'd just admitted. "I mean, it sort of makes sense. Tommy and I are close, sure, but you know me better than almost anyone. And... you're really special to me Felicity. So yeah, you're the first person I wanted to share something this special, this personal with." He concluded softly. 

Felicity was glad that he wasn't looking at her. Such a personal admission, and the fact that she was the first one he chose to share his soulmark with made tears spring to her eyes. She kept her gaze trained on the pond, taking a moment to compose herself so Oliver wouldn't realize she had been on the verge of tears moments ago. "Thank you." She managed to say finally, her voice actually sounding somewhat confident. "So, do you feel any different? Do you have any idea who could have the matching mark?" She deflected. Felicity needed to get away from the topic of what she meant to him, or she wasn't sure her heart could handle it. 

A low hum of thought pierced the thick night air. "Well, I can tell you there was no grand reveal. No sudden epiphany. So, I don't have the slightest idea of who it could be. I think I saw her in my dream last night though..." Oliver began, and when she braved a glance at him, Felicity could see his face twisted in concentration as if he was trying to remember. "But, every time I try to force the dream to come to me, I feel like it moves farther away. I remember the overall feeling though – the feeling of familiarity. It's like I already know this person or something." He described as he closed his eyes, still trying to recall the dream. With a heavy sigh, Oliver shook his head solemnly in defeat and opened his eyes again. "It could have been a normal dream too, but I've heard that some soulmates dream of one another on occasion. I guess it's one of the possible connections my soulmate and I might share." Oliver suggested with a shrug. His marking was so new that he was still discovering how it worked himself, and who knew if his soulmate even had their mark yet. 

Felicity's lips pursed together in thought as his speculation of dreaming about his soulmate. She knew about the possible connections soulmates might share (let's just say she had been briefly obsessed with researching soulmates when she was little). There were three main connections: mind, body, and soul. Apparently, these normal human connections are enhanced with your soulmate. A connection of the mind usually means dreams, or even experiencing your soulmate's memories; the body connection is not just an intense sexual experience, but also that generally the touch of your soulmate can soothe you; finally, a connection of the soul has been documented as a more acute awareness of your soulmate's emotions. Most soulmates only experienced one of these heightened connections, particularly special cases (and the subject of many famous soulmate stories) are those pairs who share two of the connections. And those who share three... well, those are the ones who only live in myths. There has never been a confirmed case of perfect soulmates since the advent of modern technology and accurate documentation, so who knows if that even exists. 

Felicity finally looked at Oliver fully and placed a comforting hand on his arm nearest her. "I'm sure you'll figure it out over time. It's only day one. You and your soulmate have your whole lives ahead of you to find each other and figure out how your connection works." She comforted, trying to fight the pang in her heart at the thought of Oliver and his potential soulmate living out their happily ever after. 

Oliver turned to her again for the first time in a while, "What about you? I mean, I know you won't get your mark for two more years, but I'm sure you've thought about the whole soulmate thing." Oliver asked curiously. 

Felicity snorted out a skeptical laugh. "You already know how I feel about the whole thing. After what my father did to my mother and me..." She trailed off, her mind wandering into the past briefly, "I don't want to know my soulmate. That way I can't lose myself in them and then get hurt when they decided to leave. They say it's difficult to settle for anything less than your soulmate after you've known that kind of connection." Felicity finished bitterly, casting her eyes to the ground. The tears were forming in her eyes again as she felt Oliver slide his hand into her's this time. It was his turn to be her rock. 

"That's ridiculous Felicity." He said softly but with conviction. "I know your father left, but he was so stupid for leaving behind such an amazing daughter. I have a feeling that your soulmate will be someone special. I mean they'd have to be to keep up with someone as amazing as you are." He boasted giving her a big smile. 

Bringing up her free hand to wipe her eyes, Felicity did her best to return his smile. "You know, I think my mom said something like that once. And here I thought she was crazy, but now that you say it..." She said with a small laugh, doing her best to erase the solemn mood that had briefly taken hold. "I don’t know what I did to deserve you, Oliver, but I'm glad you came into my life all those years ago." She whispered as her blue eyes locked with his. 

A small, maybe even sad smile briefly passed over Oliver's face as he brought his free hand up to cup her cheek tenderly. He slowly leaned towards her, and Felicity nearly panicked. A repeat of New Year's might finally do her in, especially if Oliver were to initiate and then regret it later. Then, he changed course and his soft lips gently landed on her forehead. She sighed, out of both relief and contentment, her eyes falling shut as she savored the brief connection. "I'm the lucky one." He whispered tenderly against her forehead before pulling back completely and dropping his hand from her face, a truly happy smile on his face – something she hadn't seen much of lately. 

They sat in complete silence for a few minutes after that. Nothing more needed to be said between them. Instead, they sat there huddled together, enjoying each other's company and the peaceful atmosphere of the pond. Well, that is until the first chilly breeze blew past, causing to Felicity to shiver. It had to be getting late if there was finally a chill in the air. 

"Shit, you must be freezing Felicity." Oliver noted, wearily glancing at her dress. "Plus, I'm sure the party has finally died down by now and I'm more than ready to crash. Let's head back." He suggested as he stood up, tugging on Felicity's hand in his to urge her to join him. "A bed does sound good." She agreed as she slipped her hand from his to retrieve her shoes next to her feet. There was no way she was putting them back on though. Her feet were still sore, and she loved the feel of the damp grass between her toes. 

The pair made their way back in silence, the rawness and intimacy of the moment they shared at the pond slowly fading into the background with each step they took back towards the house. Anxiety momentarily took it's place for Felicity. In her mind, they looked highly suspicious: they'd been gone for probably an hour, and where coming back together from a secluded part of the Queen estate. When they cleared the garden and reappeared in the pool area, the anxiety faded slightly. The party had mostly cleared out, and any remaining stragglers were too drunk to really notice the pair or make unwarranted assumptions. 

Maneuvering back inside, a sudden wave of exhaustion swept over Felicity and a yawn fought it's way to the surface. "Since things are mostly quiet now, I'm definitely heading to bed." Felicity mumbled sleepily before pulling out her phone to tell Tommy that she would be staying over at the Queen mansion as planned so he wouldn't worry in the morning. She had no idea if he was still here or not, but she knew he'd be frantic if she didn't tell him that she was safe. Stupid older brother. 

Seeing Felicity pull out her phone, Oliver frantically searched for his and groaned when he pulled it out and flicked it on. With a brief glance at his notifications (Felicity just couldn't help herself), she saw the bevy of missed calls and texts from Laurel, presumably wondering where he'd been for the last hour. _Right, Laurel... I'd even forgotten about her,_ Felicity thought. "I'm just... going to head upstairs, then." Felicity awkwardly announced as she moved in the direction of the staircase leading to the section of the house with the living quarters. 

Hesitating, Felicity looked over her shoulder at him and frowned at the torn look on his face, which confused Felicity momentarily before the look passed. "It really was good to spend time with you tonight. I know we haven't done much of that lately." Felicity confessed shyly, her gaze dropping to the ground. "Goodnight, Oliver." She finished softly, flashing him one last small smile before making her way to her guest room for the night. 

_Why does this feel eerily like New Years?_ Felicity asked herself, lost in her thoughts. _Well, at least this time there was no embarrassing kiss involved._ She thought with relief. 

Tonight hadn't been so bad, and her and Oliver were probably, no definitely in a better place than they'd been in for the last few months. No, this time Laurel's habit of popping up at inconvenient times, especially tonight, had made the last few minutes of the night awkward this time. There really wasn't much to be done about it, though. Felicity just had to hope that things between her and Laurel would smooth out over time.


	4. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday, everyone!
> 
> You guys, seriously, your responses to that last chapter were so touching. I'm so glad you enjoyed that little scene and the reveal of Oliver's soulmark.
> 
> This chapter tough to write. Partly because I'm just as excited as you guys are to get to the reveal of Felicity's own soulmark, and partly because... well, you'll see. I'm really happy with how this turned out, surprisingly, and I hope you guys like the direction I chose to take this chapter. We also have a very special POV making an appearance, so I know you'll like that hehe.
> 
> Happy reading!

_September_

The orientation week at MIT flew by for Felicity, and after that week she knew she was really going to enjoy her time here. MIT was definitely the right choice. 

Her roommate, Caitlin Snow, was absolutely amazing. She didn't judge Felicity or even comment on the fact that she was so young. She was one of the few people who treated her like any other freshman. It also helped that Caitlin seemed like she was going to be just as committed to her studies as Felicity was. Things would have been very different if Felicity had to room with a sorority girl for the entirety of her first year. Instead, she knew she had made a friend for life. 

Caitlin did still love to let loose and party on occasion like any college student, and orientation week was infamous for it's parties. It was now the last day of orientation, campus had turned into one big party just before classes started the next day, and Caitlin thought this was the perfect cure for the slight homesickness Felicity had been exhibiting tonight. Unable to ignore her new friend's infectious excitement at finally getting her roommate to go out, Felicity found herself being dragged out to a party in some random dorm room in another building across campus. 

The second she entered the sweaty, crowded, and incredibly loud room, all she could think was thank goodness her two best friends happened to be big partiers. Without their corrupting influence on her, sixteen-year-old Felicity would have certainly had a panic attack and felt so out of place among her peers. 

"C'mon Felicity! Let's get this party started!" Caitlin practically squealed as she took Felicity's hand and dragged her through the thick crowd over to a table littered with various bottles of hard alcohol and shot glasses at the ready. With hesitance, Felicity accepted the shot glass of some kind of flavored vodka Caitlin was shoving in her direction. This, however, was the one thing Tommy and Oliver hadn't prepared her for, hence the hesitancy. She had never been brave enough to try hard alcohol before. "Here's to freshman year, and new friends!" Caitlin declared, holding her shot glass aloft. A genuine smile broke out over Felicity's face as she brought her shot glass up to Caitlin's, "Cheers!" Felicity agreed and quickly threw back the alcohol. 

"Oh god, that was awful." Caitlin sputtered, twisting her face up in disgust. All Felicity could do was nod her head in response as she coughed aggressively from the burn of the alcohol making it's way down her throat. _How did people find this enjoyable again?_ Felicity wondered out of genuine curiosity. 

"Well, it's enjoyable if you do it with the right company." A suave voice answered from her right. Turning to face the voice, Felicity and Caitlin both stared unabashedly at their new companions. The one who'd spoken was an incredibly tall but fit looking blonde, and he was accompanied by a slightly shorter but still tall dark-haired man who was nothing but lean muscle. Wow, they are both ridiculously attractive. Their company both let out amused chuckles, and Felicity's face instantly turned beet red at the realization that she must have said that out loud again. _Great, way to make a first impression Felicity_ , she internally chastised. "I'm so sorry, apparently one shot of vodka means my filter goes out the window. Not that I'm apologizing for saying you're hot, because that's not what I meant. You're both very attractive, I just didn't mean to say it that way, and I'm going to stop now..." Felicity trailed off, physically clamping her mouth shut to stop the babble from pouring out. 

Another amused chuckle. "Please don't stop on my account, it's quite adorable. I'm David by the way," he began, focusing his dazzling smile at Felicity, "and this is Ronnie. We're on the lacrosse team together." He supplied, sweeping a hand in the direction of his dark-haired and dimpled partner who clearly had his eyes set on Caitlin. Apparently the instant attraction was mutual because it just so happened Caitlin couldn't keep her eyes off Ronnie either. Looks like she was stuck with David for the time being while Caitlin and Ronnie made heart-eyes at each other. 

Surprisingly, Felicity enjoyed the rest of the night so much that it passed by in a blur and it was nearing 1 a.m. by the time Felicity felt the desire to go home. After the introductions, David convinced them all to play a few rounds of beer pong together with Ronnie and Caitlin paired together, leaving Felicity to play with David. The round took forever because Ronnie and Caitlin couldn't keep their hands off each other, but it gave Felicity time to chat with David. Surprisingly, she really enjoyed David's company. Turns out they had very little in common, but he was charming and his mannerisms put Felicity at ease. She was certainly aware of his shameless flirting as well, and as flattered as she was, Felicity didn't want to lead him on. Being so young, she wasn't quite ready for that part of college life.

Long after the beer pong game ended, long after Caitlin went with Ronnie to his room, and after simply talking with David for who knows how long, David offered to walk Felicity back to her room after she indicated that she was ready to turn in for the night. Suddenly, with the party atmosphere stripped away, and most of the alcohol having left her system now, Felicity felt very shy around her companion, and as a result they barely talked on the way back.

When they finally reached the door to her dorm building, Felicity turned a shy smile his way and kept her distance slightly. She didn't want to give him the wrong impression. Though she was young, she realized that David expected to come up to her room with her since he walked her home. As charming and nice as David had been to her all night, Felicity just wasn't ready for that. 

"I had a lovely time tonight David, really, but..." Felicity began before suddenly David leaned in and kissed her. Felicity froze in shock, her stomach twisting in disgust. It felt wrong. Not just because she didn't want this with David. She couldn't put a finger on the unnamed feeling, but she knew this was wrong and she felt icky. Placing her hands on his chest, she shoved him away before quickly turning and escaping into her building without a word, leaving a stunned David behind whom she never hoped to see again. 

The second she closed the door to her dorm room, and she heard the automatic lock engage behind her, she leaned back against the door and let out a shaky sigh. So much for her fun night. Now she couldn't get the intruding feeling of his lips on her out of her head. Shaking herself out of her thoughts, Felicity pulled out her phone to text Caitlin that she'd returned to her room, alone, for the night in case she got worried. Once that message was sent, and after a moment's hesitation, Felicity opened up her contacts and went straight to Oliver's contact. Felicity bit her lower lip in hesitation with a finger hovering over the call button as she stared down at her phone. She could really use a friend to talk to after that disaster. With a sigh, Felicity shook her head and closed out of his contact screen. She didn't want to bother him.

Moving away from the door finally, she padded into her room on the left side of the common room and threw her phone on her bed as she went to her dresser to grab her pjs. Once she was in her sleep shorts and t-shirt, she turned around and found herself staring at her phone on her bed. Pursing her lips, Felicity glared at her phone. How did an inanimate object have this much power over her. "Screw it." She grumbled angrily before closing the gap between her dresser and her bed, the dial tone ringing in her ear before she was even seated.

"Hello?" His scratchy voice mumbled into the phone. Shit. He'd been asleep. Time to backtrack quickly. 

"Oh no. Oliver, I'm so sorry. I'll just call another time." She quickly offered, her thumb hovering over the end call button until his voice stopped her. _"Felicity, wait, don't hang up."_ He requested quickly, finally realizing who had called him. After some rustling, she could hear him clearing the sleep from his voice before he finally spoke up again. _"Hey stranger."_ He breathed into the phone and Felicity practically swooned. Sleepy, breathy Oliver was dangerous. 

Clearing her own voice to bring herself back to reality, she felt a big smile break out over her face at hearing his voice again. "Hey there. I'm sorry I called so late, really. I just... missed you, and I needed someone to talk to." She said, mumbling the last part as she played with the hem of her shorts. _"What? Felicity, is everything okay? Do I need to come out there and beat up someone?"_ He asked frantically, clearly more alert at Felicity's admission. 

Oliver's worry would have been cute if she didn't know that he really would fly out there at the drop of a hat if she asked. "I'm fine, really. I'm mostly just homesick. My roommate thought it'd be a good idea to take me out to a party tonight to help, but I parties still aren't really my thing." She deflected, offering a small laugh to try and lighten the mood as well. Felicity could swear Oliver was grumbling under his breath, something about beating up any asshole who might have touched her. 

_"I miss you too, by the way. It seems so lame. It's only been a week, but it feels so weird not having you here."_ Oliver finally admitted once his grumbling died down, his voice taking on a more affectionate tone. _"It's not just me. Everyone misses you so much. We don't know what to do without your bright smile around to cheer us up all the time."_ He laughed, and Felicity could practically hear the grin forming on his face. 

"I don't understand. You guys have each other, so I doubt me leaving really had that big of an effect." Felicity speculated, a crease forming between her brows in confusion. Oliver let out a full-bellied laugh in response. _"Oh man. Things are a mess here. For starters, Thea locked herself in her room for a few hours after you left because she was so sad you were gone. I thought I missed you a lot, but nothing beats a 10-year-old drama queen like Thea."_ He began, his voice light and full of humor. Hearing that her leaving had this kind of effect nearly broke Felicity's heart though, despite Oliver's light tone. _"Don't get me started on Tommy. He practically lives at the Queen mansion now. Your mom has been so upset that he can't be in the house for too long or she starts doting on him way too much. Malcolm's doing his best to keep Donna happy, but when she thinks about Tommy leaving for school too she can't help it. Tommy really misses having you around to balance everything out, and he misses having you to tease. I'm not a good replacement apparently."_ Oliver explained, and Felicity could feel tears welling up in her eyes. 

She didn't know going so far away for school would affect everyone like that, she just thought it'd be hard for herself. Hopefully, their longing and her homesickness would ease as they all settled into the new norm. It had only been a week after all. "Well, I'm sure you and Tommy are excited to get away and get to Stanford then. How much longer until you have to move-in?" Felicity asked as she adjusted herself on her bed so she was propped against the headboard. The fall semester started much later at Stanford, so that's why Oliver and Tommy were still at home for a while longer. _"We have two more weeks. We finally managed to find a cool apartment not too far off campus, so we're really excited to move in! But, enough about me. How're things going at MIT?"_ Oliver asked gently. 

"Hmm.." Felicity hummed, pinching her lips together as she decided where to begin. "My roommate, Caitlin, is great. I got really lucky. She does love to party on occasion, but other than that we've gotten along really well so far. I have a good feeling." Felicity offered with a small smile. "Orientation week was pretty boring, though. Just tons of meetings to go to constantly. I feel like they keep us way too busy for a reason. I don't know how some people party every night after being in meetings all day!" She stated in disbelief, letting a laugh escape. Some people really were insane. "You'll be proud of me, though. I took my first shot tonight." She explained with a slightly teasing tone. A bark of laughter followed in response. She knew he'd get a kick out of that. _"And? How was it?"_ He asked, the humor clearly evident in his tone as well. "Terrible. It burns like hell and the alcohol doesn't even taste good. I guess it does the trick if you want to get drunk, but the taste alone isn't worth it!" Felicity exclaimed in exasperation, earning yet another laugh from Oliver on the other end. 

_"You kind of get used to it. You didn't drink too much though, right? Have you had plenty of water? You should probably eat something too before you go to bed."_ He questioned seriously, causing Felicity to roll her eyes. "I'm fine, Dad. I haven't had any alcohol in hours." She placated teasingly while trying but failing to stifle the large yawn that bubbled to the surface. Checking the clock next to her, the time showed that it was almost 3 am now. 

"Frack." She mumbled under breath. She really needed to go to bed, or she'd be like the walking dead in her first class tomorrow morning. Oliver had gone silent at her yawn, clearly understanding that their time was up. Neither of them wanted to end the call though, so a long silence hung in the air while they waited for the other to make the first move. 

_"It was good to hear from you, Felicity."_ Oliver said, finally conceding. _"You know you can call me anytime."_ He offered quietly. 

"Mmhmm... same goes to you Oliver." She answered sleepily, "Well, I guess I'd better go before I fall asleep on you. Good night, Oliver." She relented with a soft sigh, sadness tingeing her tone at having to end the call finally. 

_"Night... Felicity."_ Oliver breathed out, clearly as unhappy as she was since neither of them knew when they'd have a chat like this again in the near future. 

Before either one of them could prolong the call, Felicity bit the bullet and hit the end call button and released a breath she'd been holding momentarily. Bringing the phone away from her face, she glanced at it longingly with a faint smile before setting on her nightstand. She missed him like crazy already, and it was nice to talk to him again, even if it was just for a little bit. 

So, maybe her night hadn't been all that awful. _Oliver to the rescue_ , she thought with a grin as she finally went to get ready for bed.

****

_December_

**Oliver**

Laurel had broken up with him a few days ago. He deserved it too. He'd been an ass to her lately, ignoring her calls and texts, and then being distant when they would find time to hang out. To top it all off, word had gotten to her that he'd hooked up with another girl at a party last weekend, so after a bit of yelling she ended things with him.  
He was sad about the break-up, despite his behavior indicating otherwise. Laurel was the first good, stable thing to happen to him in his young life, but for some reason he struggled to hold onto the relationship. 

Maybe because they aren't soulmates. 

That had been an interesting revelation for them over the summer. After Laurel's 18th birthday, she'd been distant and cold for a few weeks. In hindsight, Oliver realized it was because her mark hadn't matched his, and all her dreams for their relationship had been crushed. To this day he still hadn't glimpsed her mark, but somewhere deep down he had a feeling from the beginning that they weren't soulmates. 

Those two weeks after her birthday were a real low point in their relationship. They almost broke up then too, but at the time Oliver didn't care that they weren't soulmates. He still cared for her, he liked the stability of their relationship, and he enjoyed how proud his mother was of him to finally have a serious relationship. So, during the conversation in which Laurel finally admitted that they weren't soulmates, and after a lot of distraught tears from Laurel at this admission, they agreed to give themselves a chance. Since neither of them knew who their soulmates were yet, there seemed to be no harm in maintaining their relationship for the time being. They also agreed to keep the fact that they weren't soulmates a secret, or at least to not openly disclose it. Oliver had a hunch that those closest to him knew the truth, but it wasn't worth all the drama of openly telling people the truth. So, they continued on, but something always seemed to hold Oliver back from his commitment to Laurel, which is probably how he ended up in this predicament. 

But, the break-up wasn't exactly why he was so mopey almost a week later. No. It was Felicity he missed, and more than ever lately. Felicity was the one constant in his life from the moment she became Tommy's stepsister. She never judged him when he made poor decisions. Instead, she always chose to see the good in him, and it made him want to be a better person. With the current state his life was in, he could use a bit of her positivity. 

He slumped down on the couch in his and Tommy's shared apartment and took a long pull from his beer. _Yeah, right. Felicity would rip me a new one for this. Sleeping around is one thing, but cheating on your girlfriend while doing it is another._ Oliver thought sadly as he quickly polished off the rest of his beer. 

Even though he knew Felicity would most certainly call him out on his erratic behavior lately, he'd happily take her loud voice over not hearing from her at all - the current problem at hand. 

He hadn't talked to Felicity since that phone call the night after her first week at MIT. As a result, Oliver was pretty sure he was slowly dying inside from the lack of contact. Sure, they exchanged text messages on occasion, but they hadn't really talked in months. Felicity hadn't been home since departing for school either. School clearly had other plans for their friendship. Instead of coming home for breaks, Felicity stayed behind to work on various papers or coding projects because, according to her, "my professors are sadistic assholes". Oliver hadn't been able to get away to visit her like he promised either because he was hanging on by a thread at Stanford, and he couldn't risk missing any more class. 

Now, almost three months later, Christmas break was almost upon them but Felicity wouldn't be home for this break either, meaning Oliver had no idea when he would see or hear from Felicity in the near future. And he hated that. 

That fact was really the cherry on top of all of his struggles recently, and it's what inspired Oliver to mope around and get drunk by himself on a Friday night. 

As the alcohol from the first beer he'd consumed kicked in, his more relaxed mind instantly drifted to Felicity. Oliver let his eyes slide shut as he tried to picture her bright smile and the way it caused her eyes to crinkle, and he pictured those blue eyes of hers that could pretty much read his very soul without even trying. 

Just as he was about to get lost in his memories, the front door to their apartment flew open to reveal an enthusiastic Tommy who paused at the sight of his best friend on the couch. "Are you okay? What's with that dopey smile dude?" Tommy asked, throwing him a slightly concerned glance. Tommy quickly forgot about his concerns though and waved a hand in the air between them. Tommy Merlyn had a mission. "Nevermind. I have the perfect remedy for your moping! Get dressed buddy, we're going out tonight to get wasted!" Tommy triumphantly suggested with a bright smile and eager eyes. 

Oliver reluctantly opened his eyes when Tommy entered because that meant letting go of Felicity. He had wanted to spend the night in tonight, but he had to admit getting drunk in public was better than getting drunk alone and feeling sorry for yourself. With a shrug of resignation, Oliver heaved himself off the couch. "Sure, why not." He threw over his shoulder as he made his way to his room to change into more appropriate clothes. Tonight new his mission was to relax and forget about everything: Laurel, his struggles with school... Felicity. All things that wouldn't mind waiting another day.

  
  


Tommy hadn't been kidding when he promised Oliver that they were going to get wasted tonight. In the back of his mind, he knew it was unhealthy to substitute dealing with his problems with alcohol and partying. The pleasure he derived from the steady stream of girls and alcohol he'd sampled at the party that night, however, had overridden that logic for the time being. 

Since arriving at the party, the lust and alcohol induced fog that had settled over his mind for most of the night only lifted slightly when he found himself chilling on a couch with Tommy several hours into their night of debauchery. "Ollie.." Tommy began with a hint of sadness, making Oliver perk up at the unusual inflection in his best friend's voice. "I really miss Felicity." He lamented as he slumped dejectedly into the couch. 

Oliver was stunned by Tommy's sudden confession, but he certainly wasn't upset at having the chance to finally discuss his concerns with Tommy. "Where did this come from? Everything okay?" Oliver questioned curiously, earning a sad laugh from his best friend. "I was just thinking about what Felicity would say if she could see us now. About how different things might have been if she were here. About whether she's really happy at MIT. I just can't help but worry about her, ya know." Tommy answered introspectively, his glassy eyes attempting to focus on the beer in his hands. 

The honesty of Tommy's thoughts, and how close they came to his own thoughts from earlier had Oliver swallowing thickly. "I miss her too," was all Oliver managed to choke out. Despite Tommy's sudden bout of honesty, Oliver wasn't about to hop on that train and admit to his best friend that he'd been so mopey and brooding lately for those very same reasons, and not about Laurel as was expected. There were too many questions that would accompany that truth that Oliver wasn't even sure he had the answers for yet. "We're a mess without her, aren't we?" Oliver laughed out, throwing a knowing look at Tommy out of the corner of his eye, which Tommy returned. 

In that moment, Oliver could see the beginnings of an idea in his eyes. With a suddenly much brighter disposition, Tommy quickly fished his phone out of his pocket and Oliver saw him pull up Felicity's contact before hitting call. "Tommy, now is not the time to call her, in the middle of the night, while we're drunk..." Oliver panicked, his eyes widening slightly. 

"FE-LI-CI-TY!!" Tommy singsonged loudly into the phone not a moment later, interrupting Oliver's attempt to thwart his plan. The wide grin his friend had donned meant Felicity had indeed picked up. "Ollie and I miss you sooo mush. And, well, I guess we jus' thought you sh' know!" Tommy slurred into the phone, giving Oliver a thumbs up with his free hand. 

Oliver rolled his eyes dramatically at Tommy's antics, but he couldn't help the smile that twitched his lips slightly. There was no doubt Tommy Merlyn loved his stepsister, and he wasn't above drunk dialing her to tell her so.

"I am not drunk!" Tommy cried indignantly, causing Oliver to choke back a laugh next to him. They were so busted. After a beat, Tommy's eyes widened slightly in a panic. "Wait, no! Don't hang up yet! Ollie hasn't said hi yet." Tommy pouted and pleaded. 

His heart skipped a beat slightly in anticipation of talking to Felicity. Hopefully she would agree to an audience with him though. Given their current state, he wasn't so sure she would. The wide grin returned to Tommy's face at whatever Felicity said, "Great, you won't regret it! He's right here." Tommy supplied before handing the phone to Oliver with a big smile. 

Wiping his sweaty hand on the leg of his jeans, he took the phone from Tommy, and with a deep breath he told himself to sober up so as not to scare her off. "Felicity." He breathed happily into the phone, a grin adorning his own face at the anticipation of hearing her soothing voice again. 

_"Hey there stranger."_ She responded, the smile on her own face clearly reflecting in her voice. _"At least you sound slightly more sober than my dear brother."_ She joked sarcastically, clearly trying to suppress a giggle. 

"Don't underestimate me." Oliver replied with an easy laugh. In that moment there was so much he wanted to say, but his jumbled brain seemed to short-circuit the moment Felicity's voice fluttered through the phone's speaker. 

After a lengthy and awkward pause where neither seemed sure of what to say, Felicity finally broke the ice. _"I'm sorry I haven't been able to make it home like I promised, or even call more frequently."_ Felicity mumbled, the shame clearly evident in her voice. _"I really do miss you though, things have just been hectic. It's like they don't believe in social lives after week one."_ Felicity sighed. 

"S'okay, really. I miss you too Felicity. I could have called more often too, but I'm barely staying afloat myself." Oliver admitted, scrubbing a hand over his face. This really wasn't how he envisioned this conversation going. "And, I'm sorry that Tommy drunk dialed you like that. We were both just... reminiscing... and he thought it'd be a good idea to call you. I hope we didn't disturb you?" He checked cautiously. 

_"No, you didn't disturb me. Caitlin's at her boyfriend's for the evening, so I'm taking a quiet night to myself to take a break from studying while she's away. I'm really glad to hear from you guys regardless of your sobriety levels."_ She insisted, ending with a slight laugh. 

Another pause settled over the conversation as Oliver tried to figure out what to say next. "Laurel and I broke up." He finally settled on blurting out. Damn his drunk brain. Why did it choose that particular topic? 

An awkward cough greeted his confession from the other end of the phone. Yup, your ex-girlfriend is definitely the perfect conversation topic while drunk and on the phone with your female best friend. Even Tommy, who had been silent since handing Oliver the phone, nearly spit out his drink at Oliver's drunken decision to choose that topic. 

_"Actually, Tommy told me already. He's secretly been worried about you, Oliver. Which is why I assume he took you out tonight."_ She confessed. _"Also, cheating on her... really Oliver? You know better th..."_ Felicity admonished, but he didn't catch the end of her sentence.

"Ollie! You promised me you'd take me back to your room an hour ago." A nameless blonde whined as she plopped down on his lap. He gave a frustrated sigh at the sudden intrusion. He was sure Felicity heard all of that, which is probably why she was suddenly eerily silent on the other end of the phone. This certainly didn't help his case considering the topic they'd just been discussing. 

"Felicity.." He begged, hoping he could keep Felicity on the phone a bit longer and that the girl on his lap would take the hint that now wasn't the time and leave. 

_"Seems like you're preoccupied. I'll talk to you later, Oliver."_ She sighed, and he swore he could hear a twinge of hurt in her voice. No, no, no, this wasn't how this was supposed to go! Before he could reply, he heard the click of her ending the call and he sat there in a sullen silence for a second. Bringing himself back to reality, he reluctantly handed the phone back to Tommy, who was shooting a concerned glance at him at the sudden end to the conversation.

The blonde on his lap made her presence known again as she wiggled against him and began sucking on his neck as soon as the call ended. "Forget about that Felicity chick, I'm here now." She purred into his ear before going to suck on his earlobe.

If Oliver weren't still so drunk, and if that call hadn't completely botched that call, he would have promptly dismissed the girl for saying such a thing about Felicity. Instead, he sat there, numb, allowing the nameless girl to continue her ministrations without a fight until he finally gave up and went back to his apartment with her, telling Tommy he'd see him later.

He most certainly hadn't been able to forget about Felicity for the rest of the night, however. It was actually the opposite: Felicity was all Oliver could think about, and that thought scared him.

****

_April_

Felicity had a good feeling about today.

It was shaping up to be a beautiful spring day in Boston, Felicity had woken up surprisingly well-rested for the first time in weeks, and she was able to take her time getting ready this morning before heading to class - something that never happened lately.

Her day just kept getting better too. As much as she loved her choice of major, her 11 am Algorithms and Data Structures class was usually terribly boring. Much to her excitement, they had a guest lecturer demonstrating some really interesting applications of the material today. Getting to code along with the instructor was an even better bonus. Interactive lectures were Felicity's favorite, and since the material they were covering today was so fascinating, Felicity really found herself engrossed in the lecture.

Towards the end of the lecture, while she was typing out some lines of the sample code on her computer, she noticed an email notification pop up in the corner of her screen. Any other time she would have ignored the notification since she was in the middle of class, but she noticed the sender was the HR department from Queen Consolidated. She had applied for an internship with their world-renowned IT Department, although not without some resistance from Malcolm who wanted her to come work for him this summer. That conversation with Malcolm hadn't been pretty, but he surprisingly relented after Felicity delivered several well-crafted arguments as to why it was best for her to work at QC. 

With QC, like with her decision to go to MIT, she knew she wouldn't be benefiting from her relationship to Malcolm. Yes, she knew the Queen's well, but she had applied to QC in secret without telling Robert or Moira. In the end, word most likely reached them that she applied for a position, but Felicity still felt like she would be earning the position herself based on her own merit.

Taking a deep breath, Felicity nervously opened the email from QC. Scanning the contents quickly, her eyes widened slowly and a grin instantly broke out across her face when it finally registered that she'd gotten the internship. She was beyond ecstatic, so much so that she was practically bouncing in her seat and was barely paying attention to the class anymore. The opportunity to work for a globally relevant company like QC, in a position she earned herself, and to be able to spend the summer at home at the same time was a dream come true.

Today really was a great day.

Minutes later class was finally dismissed, and Felicity practically rushed out, excitement still buzzing through her at her good news. As soon as she exited the building to make her way back to her room for the rest of the afternoon, she pulled out her phone to share the good news.

 _"Hi sweetie!!"_ Her mom's high-pitched voice practically squealed on the other end moments later. Felicity held the phone away from her ear slightly at the sudden loud noise. When she was sure it was safe, Felicity put the phone back to her ear. "Hi Mom." She replied with a slightly amused smile. How her mother was so energetic, all the time, still astounded Felicity.

 _"Oh honey, you'll never believe it. How I got so lucky finding Malcolm I'll never know, but today he..."_ Her mom began enthusiastically, making Felicity both smile and cringe slightly at the same time. She was so glad Malcolm made her mom so happy, but due to her mom's tendency to over share she doubted she wanted to hear this story.

"Actually Mom," Felicity interrupted, "as much as I'd love to hear about Malcolm's latest extravagant gesture, I called because I have some really good news." She prefaced tentatively. When her mother went silent, eagerly waiting for Felicity to continue, she continued. "I just found out I was selected for the internship with QC this summer." She finished with the big grin reappearing on her face again.

Instantly a high-pitched squeal of excitement greeted Felicity on the other end of the phone. Flinching at the sudden noise, she put some distance between herself and the phone again. Seriously, her mom was so loud the people walking past her were shooting curious glances in her direction at the noise. _"Oh my goodness! That's so exciting sweetie! I'm so proud of you. I know how much you wanted that internship."_ Her mom announced after calming down slightly. _"Have you told Oliver yet?! I'm sure he'll be excited to hear that you'll be home this summer and working at QC. That'll be so much fun! He can visit all the time and keep you company. Oh! And he can have lunch with you every day too!"_ Her mom rambled excitedly.

Felicity sighed heavily. She knew her mom was dreaming up all kinds of scenarios for her and Oliver in her head, something her mom had been doing not so subtly lately. Between Felicity and Donna, it was no secret that Donna hoped Oliver would eventually be her son-in-law. It was a topic that made Felicity blush not long ago, but now it just put her in a grey mood.

Oliver and Felicity hadn't talked since that awkward drunk phone call months ago. She had to hear about how Oliver was doing through Tommy when they spoke occasionally. And, to be honest, she wasn't sure she wanted to hear from Oliver because she wasn't sure she'd recognize the man on the other end of the phone. What she had heard from Tommy hadn't been good, to say the least.

 _"Felicity, sweetie, are you still there?"_ Her mom checked. Felicity hadn't realized she'd spaced out for so long. "Sorry mom, just thinking." She said vaguely. "I haven't talked to Oliver in months. I don't really plan on talking to him soon either." She sighed into the phone just as she reached her room. Waving at Caitlin, who was perched at her desk doing some work, Felicity plopped down on their couch by the window. 

She heard her mom sigh sadly on the other end of the phone. _"I know Oliver's been making some... poor decisions lately, and that you're clearly upset with the way he's been acting, but I really think you should talk to him."_ Her mom advised tentatively. _"I think he'd love to hear from you, and it might even do him some good to hear that you'll finally be coming home."_ Donna offered.

A tiny frown replaced the smile that had once been on Felicity's face. "I get where you're coming from mom, but I just don't think I can handle talking to him right now. As nice as it would be to hear from him, though." Felicity explained, hoping her mother would drop it. After a pause, her mother tried again though. _"Please think about it, at least? Oliver needs you, I can feel it. Nobody else could help straighten him out but you."_ She pleaded, one last time.

"Sure, I'll think about it." Felicity offered quietly. Thinking about it was an easy promise to make, but she highly doubted she'd actually end up making the call. "Well, I just wanted to tell you the good news. I need get to work, but I'll call again soon, okay?" Felicity deflected easily. _"Sure, and I really am so proud of you baby girl. Don't forget to call Oliver!"_ Her mom suggested one last time, causing Felicity to roll her eyes. Her mom was never one to give up. "Bye mom." Felicity groaned, promptly hanging up before her mom tried one last time to convince her to call Oliver.

With a sigh, Felicity pinched the bridge of her nose when she felt the first throbs of a headache coming on. So much for her awesome day.

"Everything okay, Lis?" Caitlin cautiously asked, glancing up from her work to Felicity with a mildly concerned look. Felicity offered her friend a smile in return and a small nod. "Yeah, I'm great actually. I got the internship at QC, and I had a fantastic morning." Felicity explained, but she just couldn't sound as excited as she should be anymore. Damn her mother. Now all she could think about was Oliver.

"But..." Caitlin pressed, giving Felicity her full attention now at having sensed the slight hesitation in Felicity's tone. "But, my mom brought up Oliver. She wants me to call him to tell him the good news too. She thinks it'd be good for him to hear from me." Felicity sighed in frustration. 

Glancing up to take in Caitlin's reaction, Felicity gawfed at her. Caitlin was giving her a knowing look of agreement. "Not you too!" Felicity groaned, throwing her head back on the couch. "I know he's basically become an ass, but I also know you miss him Lis. And I'm sure he misses you too." Caitlin suggested gently.

Felicity gave her friend a long look, her shoulders sinking in resignation seconds later. "Looks like I'm outnumbered on this one. I guess I'll try to call him sometime soon then." Felicity relented as she picked herself up off the couch to go into her room and change into more comfortable clothes before going to the library to study for the evening. "In the meantime, want to grab some lunch and then relocate to the library with me?" Felicity called out to Caitlin from her room.

"Sure! I could use the change of environment." Caitlin responded from the other room. As soon as Felicity was changed and ready to go, the two headed out together for the rest of the afternoon.

  
  


A few days later, Felicity was practically giving her phone a death glare. Her subconscious telling her to call Oliver was finally too loud to ignore, despite her attempts to quiet that annoying voice. Felicity was alone studying at her desk in her room since Caitlin was spending the evening with Ronnie. But she hadn't been able to do much studying since she'd been glaring at her phone for the last twenty minutes.

Clearly she wasn't going to get any work done, and there probably wouldn't be a better time to call him in the near future. With a heavy sigh, Felicity lifted a tentative hand to grab her phone and finally make the call. She paused for a few breaths with her hand hovering just above the phone. If she were being honest with herself, her mom and Caitlin were right. And that was hard to admit. She _did_ want to talk to him, despite everything. He was still her Oliver.

Nodding to herself in encouragement, she finally picked up the phone and dialed his number. As the dial tone rang out, Felicity bit her lip as she nervously waited for him to pick up.

 _"Felicity?"_ Oliver asked in disbelief as soon as he picked up. 

She let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding when he finally picked up. "Don't sound so surprised." Felicity retorted with a breathy laugh. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I? I can always call another time." Felicity nervously offered. If she had to call back, though, she doubted she'd find the courage a second time.

 _"No!"_ Oliver quickly blurted out. He offered his own nervous laugh at his behavior. _"Um, what I meant is no, you're not interrupting anything. I'm really glad you called, actually. How've you been?"_ He asked tentatively.

The conversation felt so off. It felt stilted and a little too formal for their level of friendship. Felicity knew she wasn't the only one who felt that way if Oliver's nervous behavior was any indication. "I'm good, really good actually. That's why I wanted to call. I have some news I think you'll like." Felicity started. "I got an internship with QC, so I'm actually coming home for the summer!" She announced excitedly.

 _"Seriously? That's really great news! Congratulations Felicity."_ Oliver responded, the pride clearly evident. Felicity's heart swelled momentarily. Hearing how happy Oliver was at her news made her hope that he really hadn't changed much after all. _"No wonder my mom wanted me to come work at QC part-time this summer. She must have known you'd be there."_ Oliver laughed lightheartedly.

"Am I going to see you around then?" Felicity asked hopefully. It would make things a lot easier if Oliver were going to be working at QC too. _"Ah, actually, I'm not really ready to join QC."_ Oliver tentatively admitted, the hesitation back in his voice. _"I'll still be home over the summer, and I'll definitely come visit you at QC, but I still want to have some fun before I have to take over the family business."_ He finished lamely. 

Felicity couldn't help but frown. "Oh." She mumbled, a slight edge slipping into her tone. There he was, the Oliver that most certainly wasn't her best friend. Sure, Oliver had never been a star pupil, and yes he partied in high school, but the stories she'd heard from Tommy, and Oliver's frequent appearance in the tabloids lately seemed like a big glaring warning that something bigger was at hand. Hearing that Oliver didn't want to work at QC and "have some fun" instead, brought Felicity back to reality and served as a reminder of Oliver's recent indiscretions.

 _"What?"_ Oliver ventured slowly after a heavy silence settled over the conversation for a breath. His voice sounded slightly guarded now, meaning he'd clearly picked up on the change in Felicity's tone.

Felicity closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Frack. Now was not the time nor place for this kind of conversation, but Felicity just couldn't ignore the elephant in the room. "Is..." She began with a slight waver in her voice. With a deep breath, she found the confidence she knew she needed to continue. "Is everything okay?" Felicity asked, trying to maintain a more neutral tone.

Silence. As it dragged on, she worried he'd hung up on her. "Oliver?" She called out, praying that he was still with her because she didn't know if she could handle Oliver hanging up on her.

 _"What do you mean?"_ He finally asked, his tone clearly on the defensive. He knows where this is going then. Time to rip the band-aid off.

"I mean, I'm not just talking about not wanting to work at QC this summer. This is about more than that." Felicity began slowly, but with a firm voice. She could do this. He needed to know that she was worried for him. "I know what's been going on, Oliver. We may not talk often, but I'm not blind. You weren't invited back to Stanford after this year, you get drunk, high or both multiple times a week, and it led to you being arrested for public intoxication once! Don't even get me started on the way you've been treating Laurel. She never been my favorite, but the on-and-off nature of your relationship, and then cheating on her when you guys are dating... Laurel doesn't deserve that." She said hotly, her composure slowly slipping as she ticked off all her concerns one-by-one. She closed her eyes for a moment, catching her breath and allowing herself to calm down. "I'm worried, Oliver." Felicity pleaded softly, true concern lacing every word she spoke.

Silence greeted her on the other end again after her long-winded speech, but this time she could practically feel the tension rolling off of him through the phone. _"Thanks for your concern, but I'm just fine Felicity."_ Oliver ground out angrily.

"No you're not! You're not the Oliver I fell..." She stopped short before practically shouting out her closest kept secret in a moment of uncontrolled anger. She had no idea what possessed her to go there. Admitting that would add a whole other complication to this conversation that had no business being discussed at the moment. "You're not the Oliver I call my best friend." She substituted, her voice quieting to the faintest of whispers. As angry as she was with him and his behavior, it would always be hard to admit that she didn't know who he was anymore.

 _"Yeah, well, the Felicity I knew was always by my side and believed in me."_ Oliver replied bitterly. In that moment she knew her words had stung him as much as they had her, and Felicity felt tear roll down her left cheek unexpectedly. She didn't mean to hurt him, but he needed to hear this.

"You just don't get it! That's exactly why I'm doing this." Felicity couldn't help but angrily retort as more tears welled up in her eyes. "You need a wake-up call, Oliver. I'm not just going to sit back and watch you throw your life away by partying, getting high and sleeping with half of Stanford's female population."

 _"What gives you the right to chastise me about my choices?"_ Oliver practically shouted this time, causing Felicity to flinch sharply at the rough tone. A few more tears rolled down her cheeks. Felicity was barely keeping her composure, and hearing Oliver yell at her like that was practically her undoing.

"Because I... because I care about you, no matter what, and I only want to see you succeed. You have a second chance to do things right when you go to Princeton in the fall, and I don't want to see you make the same mistakes again." She choked out. "I just want my best friend back." She begged, one final time. 

After one last long silence, Oliver finally spoke again. _"I know."_ He conceded so softly Felicity almost didn't hear him. _"Goodbye Felicity. And... I am sorry."_ He sighed tiredly, barely finishing his words before ending the call.

"Oliver? Oliver?!" She pleaded frantically into the silent phone before realizing he had hung up. She didn't want it to end like that, with so much left unsaid between them, so many feelings unacknowledged, so many inflicted wounds left exposed and bleeding.

In the aftermath of the call, all Felicity could do was sit there, crying silent tears as she stared, unseeing and heart-broken, at the wall in front of her. She wept for their friendship and what once was. She wept for the clear betrayal Oliver seemed to feel. She wept for her broken heart and hurting him like she did.

Never before had Felicity regretted choosing MIT. Until now.

Now, Felicity couldn't help but weep for what could have been as well.


	5. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, your reactions to that last chapter absolutely floor me! So many feels after their argument, and passionate rants about how much of an idiot Oliver is, and I love it. Keep 'em coming because that kind of passion is what makes me so excited to write for you guys.
> 
> I think you'll enjoy this chapter because a lot of our favorite characters make some fun appearances, and it brings us that much closer to the big reveal!

_June_

She was finally back in Starling City. It only took nine months and one six hour plane ride home, but she was finally back. The second she stepped off the plane, she couldn't help but smile. Felicity was happy to be back, but mostly she was happy to be off that stupid plane. She just had to choose a school so far away. Seriously, six hours is way too long to be stuck on an airplane.

Making her way through the airport towards baggage claim, all Felicity could think about was getting home and taking a nice long nap. Not only was her flight long, but she had gotten up way too early as well, and she was still exhausted from having finished her last final of the semester only yesterday. Just as she cleared the secured area, however, and heard the first loud squeal from the crowd awaiting other arrivals, Felicity knew her hopes and dreams of a nap were over.

"Baby girl!!" Donna squealed as she plowed through the crowd to wrap Felicity in a tight hug. She should have known her mother would surprise her at the airport. With Donna Merlyn as a mother, combined with the fact that Felicity hadn't been home in months, a quiet return home was never in the cards.

"Hi Mom." Felicity greeted with a reluctant smile and a brief hug in return. "I'm glad to see you, really, but we're blocking traffic." Felicity observed anxiously as other arriving passengers swerved around the pair. "Can we please just go to baggage claim?" Felicity begged as she finally pulled herself from her mom's embrace. "Of course, sweetie. But, I still need to get a good look at you! I haven't seen you in nine months." Donna cried as she followed after Felicity who practically bolted off to baggage claim.

As soon as they arrived at Felicity's baggage claim carousel to retrieve her suitcase, Donna instantly rounded on her to observe her daughter with a critical eye. Felicity shrunk in on herself slightly at the attention, averting her gaze elsewhere while her mother performed her inspection. "Oh honey, you look so beautiful. You're blossoming into such a beautiful woman. And I'm missing it all." Donna doted lovingly, tears springing to her eyes which only made Felicity more uncomfortable. Her mom meant well, but they were in public for goodness sake. "Mom, please.." Felicity groaned, a bright red blush staining her cheeks in embarrassment.

Donna wiped her eyes and pulled Felicity into another hug, "I'm sorry sweetie, you're just growing up so fast." She cooed before pulling back and taking Felicity's face in her hands. A slight frown of concern flickered across her mom's face for a moment. "You look so tired though. Is everything okay? You were working too hard, weren't you? Is MIT too stressful?" Donna panicked, turning Felicity's face side-to-side slightly as if to get a closer inspection.

Felicity reached up and took her mom's hands in hers and pulled them away from her face gently. "Mom, I'm fine." She said soothingly. She knew she was tired, but that didn't mean she wasn't doing okay. "I just finished a final yesterday, and had to be up early for my flight this morning, so I'm a bit tired. But that's all. I love MIT, and I couldn't be happier with my choice to go there." Felicity explained, hoping it'd be enough to erase her mother's worries.

Pursing her lips in skepticism, Donna gave Felicity one last once over before smiling brightly at her daughter. "As long as you're happy, baby girl." Donna accepted, pulling Felicity into one final tight hug.

Felicity easily returned the hug with a relieved smile. If Donna thought absolutely anything was bothering her, Donna would go to the end of the Earth to make sure Felicity was better. Thankfully, at that moment, Felicity's suitcase appeared giving her the perfect diversion from Donna's attention. As soon as Felicity's suitcase was in hand, the pair made their way to the private car waiting outside to finally take Felicity home. 

  
  


After a relatively quiet ride home, with Felicity occasionally telling her mom a few stories of her first year at MIT, they were finally home and Felicity never thought she'd be so excited to see the Merlyn mansion.

The second she was inside, she was practically half-way up the grand staircase with her huge suitcase in tow on her way to her room before her mom even made it inside. "I'm going to take a nap mom! And, tell Tommy not to disturb me when he comes home, even though I'm sure he'll try anyways." Felicity threw over her shoulder.

"Okay, just make sure you're back down here for dinner by six sweetie. I've organized a special family dinner now that my baby is finally home!" Donna informed Felicity's retreating figure.

"Dinner at six, sounds good." Felicity affirmed quickly before rounding the corner and eagerly flying into her room at the end of the hall. Shutting the door quietly behind her, Felicity deposited her suitcase next to her large wooden dresser, changed out of her outfit into her favorite panda pjs, and greeted her bed like an old friend. Nothing beat the comfort of her own bed, especially after having been away for eight months. The moment she snuggled deep into her covers, her pent up exhaustion from a long last couple of days caught up to her and she was out like a light.

Her nap didn't last nearly as long as she wanted though because Tommy Merlyn never listened. Or maybe her mother had forgotten entirely to tell him she was not to be disturbed.

Two hours into her hopefully marathon nap, Felicity's door flew open and one loud Tommy Merlyn burst into her room. "My favorite sister!" He said affectionately.

With a frustrated groan, a bleary-eyed Felicity rolled over and fixed Tommy with a glare. "You couldn't wait..." Felicity paused to look at her clock, it was only 4 pm. "… another two hours to see me at dinner? I was taking such a wonderful, much needed nap. Good dream too..." She mumbled as she tried to bury herself in her covers, hoping Tommy would magically disappear and leave her to her nap.

"Where's the fun in that? I haven't seen you in forever, and I wanted to see you the second I got home today." Tommy offered, coming around to sit on the side of the bed Felicity wasn't sprawled out on. "That and I want all the juicy gossip about your year at MIT since we didn't get to talk very often while you were there." Tommy said eagerly, a mirthful look in his eyes.

Realizing Tommy wasn't going to leave her alone, and that she did kind of want to talk to Tommy too, Felicity peaked out from under the covers and fixed him with a playful glare. "Since you refuse to let me nap, let me go freshen up and then we can properly catch up." Felicity suggested as she rolled out of bed, slipped her glasses on, and made her way to her bathroom to clean up a bit.

Five minutes later, she exited the bathroom and saw Tommy standing again. When he saw that she was back, he opened his arms wide to her and gave her an affectionate smile. "Now, how about a proper greeting?" Tommy asked.

Rolling her eyes, Felicity giggled slightly at how ridiculous he was before coming up to him and throwing her arms around his waist in a tight hug as his arms came around to encircle her shoulders. "Hey big brother." Felicity mumbled into his chest, giving him a brief squeeze. Now that she was here, she realized just how much she missed having him around this last year. There had been so many times when she could have used her protective, caring, goofy big brother to lift her mood and just be there for her when things got tough.

She felt a kiss being pressed into the crown of her head, making Felicity curl into him more and bask in his comforting presence. "Everything okay?" Tommy ventured gently when they finally pulled away and sat side-by-side on her bed.

"Yeah, I'm fine, it's just been a long year. There were definitely times I could have used some Tommy Merlyn magic." Felicity joked with a reassuring smile.

Looking up at Tommy, he was fixing her with an expectant look as if asking her to continue. Sighing in defeat Felicity did just that. "Mostly it was just that I worked myself too hard. I really regret not coming home at least once. I definitely won't be doing that again." She started and then paused to contemplate if she should share her next thought. "There may have also been a stalker. That was an interesting experience." Felicity tentatively shared with a laugh to try and lighten the blow.

Tommy's eyebrows shot up to his hairline and then he looked furious for a moment. "Felicity! How could you not tell us about that?" Tommy cried indignantly.

Placing a gentle hand on his arm, Felicity silently urged him to calm down. "He was harmless. He just showed up everywhere trying to get me to go out with him for months after we met at a party during orientation week. He was never dangerous. I was easily able to handle the situation with a little computer magic and with the help of the Dean. He won't be bothering me anymore." Felicity explained with a calm smile to signal to Tommy that she was really okay.

"I'm glad it's taken care of, but you still should have told us so we could have provided moral support or something." He urged, still looking slightly concerned at this revelation.

"On a more interesting note, my roommate met her soulmate that same night I met my future stalker. I love my roommate, don't get me wrong, but when they're together it's disgusting." Felicity joked, trying to shift the conversation in a lighter direction.

It worked because Tommy screwed up his face in mock disgust. "Oh boy, I can't even begin to imagine how that would be." He said, but then a slightly wistful look that shone in his eyes for a moment before disappearing again piqued her interest. Maybe her commitment phobe brother was curious about his soulmate after all.

Racking her brain for a moment for any more interesting anecdotes, Felicity gave a shrug when she came up blank. "Other than that, it was mostly doing too much work and missing you guys too much." Felicity finished.

Tommy didn't seem to accept that conclusion though. He sat there searching her face for a moment with a slightly skeptical look. Pinching his lips together, he looked at his shoes for a second before facing Felicity again. "Oliver says hi." Tommy fished, hesitancy behind every word.

A deep set frown instantly settled over Felicity's features. She shouldn't have been surprised that Tommy would want to bring up Oliver, especially since she'd confessed that she had a long, stressful year only minutes ago. "Tommy..." She warned gently, giving him a look that said to back off the topic.

"Please, Felicity, I'm just worried about him." Tommy begged. "I know he said some things, and treated you like crap, and that he's probably the last thing you want to talk about, but you didn't see everything I did." He began, his eyes suddenly solemn as the memories of the prior year seemed to flash behind his eyes. "I've never seen him like that. I understand having fun and partying, but this was different. It was fine for a while, and I just thought he was really getting into the spirit of college, but after awhile he just seemed so detached from everything, like he had no drive or motivation. And then when he told me how badly he messed up with you, I was baffled. He would never treat you that way, so I knew something was really off then." Tommy babbled, the worry for someone he considered a brother and his closest confidant etched all over his face.

"Well, he did shut me out, so I don't know what to tell you Tommy. I don't know what you want me to do either. He's the one that made me feel like shit. _He's_ the one who didn't want my help when I tried to be there for him months ago." Felicity asserted, but her eyes revealed a hidden sadness. She couldn't help it. She was still worried about him, and hearing Tommy even confess his own concerns just made her worry more.

"I know, and he has a lot to work on and make up for, but don't give up on him yet. You've always been his rock, something I know I could never be for him. It would break him if you stopped believing in him." Tommy explained simply, picking at a thread on her comforter. "I know it doesn't mean much coming from me, but he has turned things around since he spoke to you. His behavior hasn't been nearly as destructive, so I still have hope that he can come back from this. And with you around this summer, I think it'll do him a lot of good." Tommy pressed on, giving Felicity a hopeful look. "It's a lot to ask, I know, but just promise me that you'll at least listen to him when he finally gets his head out of his ass?" he urged with his best puppy dog eyes.

Eyeing her brother for a moment, Felicity finally gave in with a reluctant sigh. "You're right, he really does have his head up his ass, but that doesn't change the fact that I still care about him, in spite of everything. I promise I haven't given up on him, and I'll be there for him when he's ready. I won't wait around forever, though." Felicity relented finally with a weak but reassuring smile for Tommy.

Like a kid on Christmas, his face lit up and he launched himself at Felicity, trapping her in a massive hug. "You're the best Felicity." He praised while Felicity struggled in his overly aggressive hug. "Gah! Tommy, I can't breathe." Felicity called out from where her face was smushed against his chest as she playfully tried to shove him away.

After holding on for a few more seconds, Tommy let her breathe again by finally breaking the hug. At his goofball smile that he was still giving her, Felicity couldn't help but shake her head with a laugh. "Come on, it's almost time for dinner finally. I need to change, and I really don't think you want to see that." Felicity teased, shoving Tommy in a gesture for him to leave her in peace.

With a grin, Tommy threw up his hands in a defensive gesture as he made his way to her door. "Fine, fine, I'm going." Tommy laughed with a cheeky grin. Just before he shut the door he peaked back in and gave her a genuine smile. "It really is great to have you home sis. I missed you more than you knew." He said with one final smile before he quietly closed the door behind himself.

Staring at the spot Tommy had just been in, Felicity smiled a truly happy smile for the first time in weeks. _I'm glad to be home too_ , she thought contentedly before going to clean up for her welcome home dinner.

****

The first three weeks home, which included the first two weeks of her internship, had been uneventful to say the least. Getting to spend time with Tommy and her mom again her first week home had been fun, but that had been about the extent of her fun. Since starting her internship, Felicity had been swamped with work and threw herself into learning all about QC's system. She was such a young intern too that she'd found it hard to bond with some of the other interns in the IT department. So, her first few weeks had been nothing but work, eat, sleep and the occasional movie night or beach outing with Tommy when he was available.

Walking into work at the first day of her third week, she saw another reminder of how disappointing her first few weeks had been. It was only a simple cup of perfectly prepared coffee that awaited her at her desk, but it was the _who_ of the matter that made Felicity frown.

It started with a small bouquet of flowers greeting her at her desk on day one. There hadn't been a card, so her first thought was that her Mom ordered them for her, but when she attempted to thank her for them later, her mother told her she wasn't responsible. Felicity went to Tommy, the next most likely suspect, but that was a dead end too. Since she didn't know who else would want to send her flowers, especially unmarked flowers, she briefly worried that stalker lacrosse player she dealt with last year was back at it again.  
After the flowers, coffee had started appearing at her desk every once in a while, and when she asked her co-workers if they saw who delivered it, they just said it was the delivery boy for the shop. The worst part was, as tempting as the coffee looked everyday, until she knew who was sending it to her she wouldn't drink it.

Felicity mentioned the coffee in passing to Tommy after she realized the person wasn't giving up, and Tommy instantly clammed up – he was always terrible at lying to her. Though Tommy tried to hide it and deny that he knew anything, Felicity threatened to close all his credit cards and tip-off the gossip columnists with the inside scoop about his "inadequacies", and that threat to his manhood was sufficient enough to get Tommy to reveal that Oliver was the one behind the gifts.

Felicity was livid. Oliver couldn't even be bothered to man up and sign his name on the gifts. Not to mention the fact that he hadn't visited her once, and she worked for his family's company for goodness sake!

So, seeing yet another cup of coffee from him, Felicity adamantly ignored it as she sat down and got to work on her task for today which included reviewing the structure of QC's firewall that she was due to give a presentation on at the end of the week. Where Felicity hadn't drank the coffee for safety reasons at first, now she refused to drink it because she just didn't want his cowardly gifts. As long as he continued to avoid her, she would ignore his gifts.

Just before lunch time, after staring at hundreds of lines of code for several hours already, she nearly missed her boss approaching her desk with a puzzled look. "Felicity, Mr. Queen asked to see you up in his office on the 30th floor." Mr. Miller explained, still fixing her with a confused look as if trying to suss out why the CEO would want to see her.

Jumping slightly at first when his voice broke through her fog, she shot her boss a surprised look once she realized what he'd just said, her mouth nearly falling open. "Mr. Queen wants to see me? Why?" She asked, almost unsure if she heard her boss correctly.

He gave her a no-nonsense look, telling her she definitely heard him correctly. "You're guess is as good as mine. You better get up there, he's a very busy man you know." Mr. Miller advised seriously before heading back to his office, leaving a dumb-founded Felicity still rooted at her desk.

Blinking a few times to process this information, she quickly jumped into action once she realized that she needed to get a move on. As soon as her work was saved and her computer was shut down, she made her way to the executive elevators and headed up to the 30th floor as instructed.

When the doors slid open, she stepped out hesitantly and looked around in confusion before finally trying to the right. Rounding the corner, she saw what she assumed was the right set of offices and breathed a sigh of relief. That would be embarrassing if she got lost on such an uncrowded floor.

"Good morning, you must be Ms. Smoak." A friendly voice called to her left.

Startled because she hadn't noticed anyone else in the wide hallway, her head snapped to her left to see a kind-faced middle-aged woman poised at a desk not too far from her. She had to be Mr. Queen's assistant. "Um, yes, I was told Mr. Queen wanted to see me?" She tentatively offered.

With a gentle smile and a brief nod, the older woman swept a hand to her left toward's the door just ahead of them that led to Mr. Queen's office. "Yes, head on in. He should be free." She explained before going back to work on some documents in front of her.

Approaching the door, and knocking softly to preface her entrance, Felicity opened the door and stepped into Robert Queen's grand office. As soon as she entered, Robert stood up from his chair and fixed Felicity with a huge, fatherly smile as he came around to greet her. "Felicity, it's so good to see you. I hope you're enjoying your time at QC so far. I've heard nothing but good things from Mr. Miller." He greeted, a hint of pride in his voice.

At his relaxed demeanor, Felicity instantly relaxed herself and offered Robert a genuine smile in return as she went in for the hug he was offering. "I am. They certainly know how to keep their interns busy, but I love the work so far." Felicity explained, stepping out of the hug.

"Good to hear!" Robert said happily. "Speaking of your good work, I would love to see you in action Felicity. I seem to have developed a virus, and I couldn't think of anyone else I'd want to solve the problem. What do you say?" Robert queried, and Felicity threw him an incredulous look.

"Are you sure you don't want a more experienced IT staff member to take a look at it? I mean, I'm still learning the basics." Felicity panicked, the mere thought of trying to fix the CEO's computer, even if she did know him personally, terrified her.

"Nonsense! I believe in you, and like I said I want to get a look at your skills first hand because I have a feeling you'll be a very valuable asset for QC in the near future." Robert explained with a kind smile as he ushered her to the desk, telling her to sit in his seat as he pulled up a second chair to sit next to her.

"You know I'm more than happy to help, but only if you're sure." Felicity reluctantly conceded as she awkwardly took her place in his grand office chair. Robert gave her one final nod of affirmation before they got to work, Felicity walking him through how to locate and kill the virus safely.

About 20 minutes into working through the problem, Felicity noticed the door open out of the corner of her eye, but kept working assuming it was just his assistant.

"Hey Dad, Molly just told me to come in. I hope-" the voice stopped short. 

Oh hell no.

Felicity's head snapped up to the newcomer and it took everything in her power to maintain a neutral face. She didn't want Robert to think anything was amiss between her and Oliver, mostly because this was neither the time nor place to bring that up.

"Felicity, hey." Oliver breathed out, a hint of shock lacing every word. Observing him for a brief moment, she noticed he looked nervous and... almost scared. _Good_ , she thought with frustration. This was the first time they had seen each other in _nine months_ , and it happened as a chance encounter in his father's office.

With a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, she gave him a small nod of acknowledgement. "Hi Oliver, good to see you." She responded civilly before turning back to finish up.  
"Oliver, m'boy! Felicity was just helping me out with my computer. She really is remarkable." Robert praised, causing Felicity to blush slightly.

"She is." Oliver mumbled in affirmation, so quietly Felicity almost didn't hear him. When it finally did register with Felicity, she shot him an incredulous look out of the corner of her eye. He did not get to say things like that after the way he was practically throwing away their friendship lately.

Pushing his comment out of her mind for a moment, Felicity quickly put the final touches on her work and turned to Robert with a smile. "There, all fixed up and ready to go." Felicity explained. "Is there anything else Mr. Queen?" Felicity asked as she stood up and moved to make a speedy exit from the room.

"Thank you so much for saving me Felicity. I knew I could count on you." Robert grinned. "As a way of thanking you, how about you join Oliver and I for lunch? I haven't had a chance to hear about MIT yet, and Thea has been constantly bugging us to know about how you've been. What do you think Oliver?" Robert proposed, turning to Oliver to gauge his opinion.

Felicity needed to shut this down quickly, or Robert Queen was about to be treated to the most awkward lunch ever. "Thank you so much for the offer, Mr. Queen. I actually have a project to finish before I can go to lunch. Another time, maybe." Felicity deflected, offering Robert a grateful smile at the offer.

"Hmm, definitely another time then!" Robert agreed, thankfully not pressing the issue. "Oliver, why don't you walk Felicity back to her floor? I don't think you've seen where she works yet. I'll just meet you out front with the car." He innocently suggested, completely missing how stiff the pair went at the suggestion when he turned back to his computer to finish up some work now that he was virus free.

"Sure." Oliver agreed softly, an edge of nerves to his voice. With a regretful look to Felicity, Oliver opened the door to Robert's office to let Felicity take the lead.

Felicity glanced up to him with an unsure look, hesitated for a second, and then walked out of the office and straight for the elevators, not even bothering to wait for Oliver. Stepping into the private executive elevator together, Felicity kept as much distance from Oliver as she could within the cramped space, but that wasn't enough to stop the flood gates from opening now that they were alone.

"Felicity.." Oliver pleaded, shifting closer to her and reaching out a hand to get her to look at him.

She looked at him all right, but with fire in her eyes and her brows furrowed in an angry glare. "No." She said forcefully. "You don't get to do this. Not now. Not after ignoring me for three weeks." She grit out. Oliver went to open his mouth, but closed it and dropped his gaze in shame. "We haven't seen each other in nine months, and when I'm finally home you can't even be bothered to come by and say hi. No, we have to run into each other in your dad's office! Don't even get me started on the flowers and coffee, Oliver. I had to find out from Tommy that it was you sending me those things and not some stalker." Felicity exclaimed, so much hurt lacing her words as she continued to pin him with a glare.

After a beat of silence, Oliver brought his eyes up to meet her's again and there was so much regret in his gaze. "I didn't think you'd want to see me after... after that call. I just wanted you to know I was still thinking about you, I guess." Oliver tried to explain, his eyes pleading with her to understand.

Felicity shook her head in disbelief. "Sending flowers and coffee is not the way to show me that! I wanted you to visit me Oliver. I thought Tommy relayed that piece of information. That call, it wasn't one of our best moments, but it's nothing we couldn't have worked through if you had just manned up and come to see me." She cried out, her mask of frustration slipping as her own hurt finally shone through. "I told Tommy I would wait for you to come around. But three weeks Oliver? I don't where we went so wrong that you'd think I wouldn't want to see you. I thought our friendship was stronger than this." She whispered sadly, waving her hand between them in reference to their once rock solid friendship.

With a ding, the elevator doors slid open on her floor. Felicity gave him one last disappointed look before turning and stepping out of the elevator.

"Wait!" Oliver called out before she could get too far away, and Felicity reluctantly turned to see him holding the doors open. "I didn't mean for it to happen like this, I swear. Is there any hope that we could work things out still?" Oliver asked desperately, the fear of losing her for good evident in his eyes.

With a heavy sigh, Felicity shrugged a shoulder at him. "I don't know." She replied honestly. "But, if you want to try, come visit me when you're ready to own up to your mistakes and have a real conversation with me. I made a promise, so I'll be here to listen when that time comes." Felicity offered softly. "Goodbye, Oliver." She dismissed, giving him one last look before turning and making her way back to her desk.

With her appetite for lunch effectively ruined after her encounter with Oliver, Felicity threw herself into her work for the rest of the day and didn't surface again until she was finally able to escape to the comfort of her home at the end of the day.

****

Exactly one excruciatingly long week later, Felicity was hard at work coding her latest assignment when she heard a voice behind her.

"Felicityyy!!" A young voice squealed and Felicity whipped around in horror to look for the source of the disturbance. What she didn't expect was the little body that leapt into the chair and wrapped it's arms tightly around her neck.

Nervously glancing around to see a few co-workers giving her a nasty glare for the disruption, Felicity peered down at the source and instantly smiled when the little girl extracted her face from Felicity's neck to beam up at her.

"Thea!" Felicity grinned as she wrapped the little girl up in a hug before setting her back on her feet in front of her chair. "You've gotten so tall since I last saw you! You're probably going to be taller than me soon." Felicity predicted with mock horror, earning a delighted giggle from the youngest Queen.

"Speedy, what did I tell you about being quiet." A soft voice chastised from behind Thea, who turned to pout at the owner. Felicity looked up to see an apologetic Oliver who had come to stand behind Thea. "Sorry about that, Felicity. I really did try to warn her that she had to be quiet." Oliver said sheepishly.

Felicity eyed him for a moment. Honestly, she hadn't expected to see him so soon. With a small shrug, she offered him a smile. "Don't worry about it. I mean, you guys own this place so I doubt anyone is going to complain." Felicity laughed softly before turning her attention back to Thea. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" She asked.

Thea crossed her arms and her pout deepened. "I have a dentist appointment." She grumbled adorably, causing both Oliver and Felicity to laugh. "I only came because Ollie promised me I could come visit you when he dropped me off!" Thea explained, her voice instantly much brighter as she gave Felicity a huge smile.

Felicity's smile faltered slightly. Maybe he wasn't really ready to talk after all. "So, you're just here to drop Thea off?" Felicity tried to ask conversationally, and trying to hide the disappointment in her voice as she glanced up to Oliver.

When she looked up, he was giving her a serious look and he shook his head slowly. "No. When Thea told me Dad was taking her to the dentist today I actually offered to drop her off because I was already planning on coming to see you. This worked out well because Speedy here has been pestering me about when she could see you." Oliver explained while ruffling his sister's hair affectionately, earning his hand an annoyed swat from Thea.

Watching the siblings interact, Felicity couldn't help the affectionate smile that snuck up on her. She was glad that Oliver was still a good big brother to Thea. "I'm sorry I haven't come to see you yet Thea, your Dad has me working really hard." Felicity lamented with an apologetic smile for the young girl.

Thea waved it off and gave her a happy smile. "I know, Ollie told me that you were going to be really busy this summer. Can you come over for a movie night soon though? I miss those." Thea begged, giving Felicity the cutest puppy dog eyes.

Felicity glanced up to Oliver who gave her a shrug as if to say it was up to her. Thea's request really put her in a tough spot. With a lot of things still left unsaid between Oliver and herself, Felicity was afraid to promise something to Thea that she might not be able to deliver. Based on Oliver's reaction though, she knew he wasn't going to let their issues come between her relationship with Thea. Turning back to Thea, Felicity gave her a conceding smile. There's no way she could ever say no to Thea. "I'm sure I can definitely make time for a movie night soon." She agreed, affectionately brushing a few of Thea's long locks behind the little girl's ear.

"Speedy, I need to get you up to Dad now or you'll be late for your appointment." Oliver interrupted causing Thea to groan.

"Fine." Thea whined sadly before turning to Felicity and throwing her arms around her one last time. "Bye Felicity!" Thea chirped before skipping off towards the elevators, leaving Oliver behind.

Clearing his throat awkwardly, Oliver gave her a shy smile. "I need to get Thea upstairs, but I'll be right back. Can I take you to lunch when I come back?" Oliver asked tentatively, glancing after Thea to make sure she wasn't getting into any trouble.

Giving him a reassuring nod, she made a shooing motion. "Go. I'm not going anywhere." Felicity assured. Oliver gave her a relieved grin and then ran after his sister before she could get too far away. 

  
  


About 30 minutes and a silent car ride later, Oliver parked his car in front of Big Belly Burger and came around to open the door for Felicity with a sheepish smile. She couldn't help but laugh to herself. _He's using all my favorite things in his favor today. First he brings Thea to see me, and now he's feeding me Big Belly. Clever boy_ , Felicity thought in mild amusement as they walked in a grabbed a more private booth towards the back of the restaurant.

After more silence, that lasted until their orders were taken by the waitress, Felicity decided to break the ice first. "That was really nice of you to bring Thea by. I've missed her." Felicity started softly.

"She missed you too. She'd been an absolute pain, asking to see you all the time." Oliver laughed, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Glancing at the table for a minute, Oliver seemed to be collecting his thoughts before he dove in. "I really screwed up, didn't I?" He asked hesitantly.

At her knowing look, Oliver couldn't help but cringe. "I'm so sorry Felicity. I shouldn't have gotten angry at you. I had no right to do that." He began and paused as he collected his thoughts again. "I think I was at my lowest when you called me. And when you called, and you sounded so disappointed, it was like the last straw. I was so upset at myself that I let you down, and I stupidly got angry at you because I couldn't handle the truth." Oliver confessed, pain written all over his face at the memory of his actions. His remorseful gaze met her thoughtful blue eyes. "You didn't deserve that, you _never_ deserved to be treated that way." Oliver lamented, his eyes shining with regret.

Pinching her lips together, Felicity dropped her gaze to the table for a silent moment. "You really hurt me Oliver. You even said it yourself that day, I'm always by your side. That never changed for me. I know I couldn't be there physically, and that we were both so busy we barely had time to talk, but that _never_ meant that I didn't still care. And for you to even doubt that for a second..." Felicity trailed off, the hurt clear in her eyes when she finally looked up at him again. 

Oliver immediately flinched as if her look caused him physical pain. "Like I said, I was in a dark place... everything was going wrong at the same time. That's not an excuse for my behavior though. I never should have doubted you Felicity, please forgive me." He begged quietly, a brief pause settling over the conversation a moment later when the waitress brought their food to the table. As soon as she was gone though, Oliver took the opportunity to continue before he lost the courage. "You know... you're the only one that actually called me out on my shitty behavior." He admitted solemnly, picking at a few fries on his plate. "My parents just tried to throw money at it by getting me into Princeton, Laurel never really said anything either. Tommy came the closest, but he thought it was just a phase for a while until I was too far gone. When he finally saw what was happening, he didn't know how to really help me. So, thank you. I clearly needed it. Even though I didn't handle the news very well." Oliver explained, finishing with a small laugh, trying to make light of a grim topic.

Felicity couldn't help but frown though at this bit of information. She knew Tommy had tried help him, but it hurt to hear that no one else really had. Just as she was about to express her displeasure at this newly revealed fact, Oliver cut in to continue before he lost his train of thought. "And then, I'm such an ass for not visiting until now. Tommy did tell me too, that you still wanted to talk after everything..." Oliver began, trailing off slightly as he dropped his gaze to his food in shame. "I don't know. I guess at first I was still so ashamed of the way I treated you that I was afraid to show my face. Tommy was actually the one to slap me upside the head for that one." He explained with a soft laugh. "But then... I just didn't know what to say, where to begin, so instead of properly apologizing I started sending the gifts. It was supposed to be my way of showing you that even though I was an ass to you before, I hadn't forgotten you and that I still cared. In hindsight now, I am still an idiot." He concluded, nervously running his fingers through his hair while scanning her face for her reaction.

Leaning back against the booth, Felicity ate a few fries while she contemplated everything Oliver had said. Seeing her hesitation, Oliver made one last plea. "Felicity... I don't think I can say this enough, but I'm so sorry. For everything. Clearly, I'm still not perfect, but I'm really trying to do better and turn things around. And, I want to do better by you too, if you'll still let me that is."

Her searching eyes met his bright blue ones that shone with such conviction that Felicity was slightly surprised by the sight. Despite his mistake of not seeing her sooner than now, everything she saw now really indicated that this Oliver wasn't the same one she had talked to all those weeks ago. He was really trying to turn things around, and she was secretly proud to see that because he could have just as easily slid deeper into his destructive ways. Clearly, he still has work to do, but she was willing to give repairing their friendship a shot. "I'm not giving up on our friendship that easily, and I'd like to think that we're stronger than this." Felicity assured quietly, watching the instant relief seep into his body language. "But, Oliver, you can't shut me out like that again. There may not be a next time if that happens. And, one conversation isn't going to immediately fix the damage that's already been done. It'll take time for me to trust you again." Felicity leveled with a serious look.

"Yeah, no, I totally get that. I'll do whatever it takes to accomplish that." He agreed with an eager nod. He was just happy that she was giving him a chance, which is more than he probably deserved. "Can we do this again? Start with weekly lunches, that is." He suggested hesitantly, afraid that would be too much too soon.

With her first genuine smile of the lunch, Felicity gave him a small nod of approval. "That sounds like a good place to start." Glancing down, she noticed their essentially forgotten meal. "I guess we still need to finish this one first though." She laughed softly as she went to pick up her now cold burger. With an easy smile of his own and a lingering look of contentment, Oliver picked up his own burger and they finally dug into their meals together.

The remainder of their lunch was filled with much lighter conversation as they both shared stories of their first year at school. Well, Felicity spent most of the time talking, but Oliver seemed more than happy to sit back and listen in a content silence, occasionally speaking up to ask questions or to briefly describe how his last few months had turned around after their phone call. Other than that, Oliver was more than happy to listen and start making up for lost times.

Though they clearly still have a ways to go until things could even begin to approach normal for them again, Felicity was starting to feel better than she had in weeks, and she found herself feeling hopeful that not all was lost between them.


	6. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back guys!
> 
> As always, I love seeings your reactions to each chapter. It really warms my heart that people are so passionate about this story! Also, how easy was that: two main characters actually having an adult conversation and not drawing things out over an entire season lol.
> 
> Anyways, I had very different plans for this chapter, but after checking the word count the other day I realized it had really gotten away from me haha. That means this is a shorter chapter than I envisioned, but the next one will be out sooner because I've already got a significant portion of it written. 
> 
> Happy reading everyone!

_October_

Her morning started off horrendously. First, Felicity woke up late because she forgot to set her alarm the night before. Then in her rush she didn't even realize it was raining, so by the time she made it to her 9:00 a.m. class she was drenched. And since it was early October, the slight chill in the air from the arrival of Fall only made things worse. The absolute worst part of her morning though: she hadn't had her necessary coffee yet! The only saving grace was that it was Thursday and she didn't have any class the next day, so all she had to do was make it through her three classes for the day and she'd be home free at 1:30 p.m.

Finally, after what felt like the longest four hours of her life, Felicity was back in the safety and comfort of the apartment building where her and Caitlin maintained their residence this year. Entering the elevator to take her to their third floor apartment, all she could think about was a hot shower and a long nap to take the edge off. As she exited the elevator on her floor and instinctively made her way to her door, Felicity wasn't paying attention to her surroundings as she dug around in her backpack for her keys.

"Oh thank god. I thought we'd waste away waiting here any longer!"

A squeak escaped Felicity as she nearly dropped her keys before getting a firm grasp on them again. When she finally recovered, she looked to the source of the voice and her eyes went wide as saucers. "Oh. My. God." She gasped.

There, sitting in front of her door oh so casually, were Oliver and Tommy, both bearing equally wide grins. "What... how...?" Felicity stuttered out, unable to grasp that they were actually physically in front of her. And to think her day started off so miserably. Both slowly climbed to her feet, and the second they were upright Felicity launched herself at Tommy who wrapped her up in a huge hug. As soon as Tommy set her back down and released her, Felicity turned to Oliver and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her head in his warm, comforting chest as he enveloped her in tight but brief hug.

Taking a step back, Felicity gave them a dumbfounded stare as she continued to process the sight in front of her. "I know we're both devilishly handsome and great to look at, but are you going to let us in sometime today?" Tommy teased with an easy grin, throwing a thumb towards her door.

Shaking her head to bring herself back to reality, Felicity nodded eagerly at them and turned to open her door. "Yes, right! The door. Sorry, I'm just so stunned to see you guys here!" She laughed out, only mildly embarrassed at having been called out for staring at them for so long. Once she finally managed to open the door after fumbling with her keys in excitement, she led the way inside and spotted Caitlin in the kitchen.

"Hey Felicity! I have some tea brewing if you want some. It's not coffee, I know, but I figured it's perfect for a gloomy..." Caitlin greeted happily, but abruptly paused in shock when she turned around to see Felicity standing in front of a grinning Oliver and Tommy.

With a sheepish grin at Caitlin, Felicity glanced back to her companions briefly before facing her roommate again. "Tea sounds lovely, but it looks like we'll need some extra servings." Felicity joked easily. "Caitlin, this is Oliver and Tommy. Oliver and Tommy, meet my roommate Caitlin!" She introduced, smiling between her two sets of friends.

Caitlin's eyes were wide as saucers and she almost looked like she was drooling. "Caitlin...?" Felicity nervously ventured. "Yeah, wow. Felicity. I always knew your brother and Oliver were attractive, but wow. Seeing them in person is a whole new experience." Caitlin stage whispered dramatically, causing Felicity to blush slightly, knowing Tommy and Oliver could clearly hear her.

"Well, Felicity never told me she had such a beautiful roommate." Tommy suavely responded with a playful wink as he came up next to Felicity and threw an arm around her shoulders.

Gently punching Tommy in his side, and giving Caitlin an unamused look, she shook her head at the pair. "Tommy, I can't believe you barely lasted two seconds before hitting on my roommate! Oh, and you're out of luck because she already met her soulmate." Felicity informed with a smirk for Tommy, and pointed stare for Caitlin as if reminding her that Ronnie existed.

"Felicity, you know I'm totally harmless." Tommy quipped, earning a scoff and another gentle punch from Felicity, a knowing look from Oliver, and a laugh from Caitlin.

"Guys, you can drop your bags in my room. It's the only door on the right. Bathroom is right across the hall. Do you guys want any tea?" Felicity asked as she extracted herself from Tommy's grasp, making her way into the kitchen while practically dragging a still drooling Caitlin with her. "Sure!" The pair quipped before making their way to her room to drop their stuff off.

As Felicity busied herself with preparing three mugs of tea, Caitlin watched the two boys walk away, waiting for her chance to grill Felicity. "Did you know they were coming?" Caitlin whispered giddily. "Oh my gosh, did they surprise you? Why are they here then? This is too cute!" Caitlin babbled, barely able to keep her voice down anymore.

Felicity rolled her eyes at Caitlin's excitement as she grabbed a few condiments for the tea. "No, I didn't know. So yes, this is a _huge_ surprise. And I have no idea why they're visiting." She answered quietly.

When Caitlin didn't respond immediately, Felicity cast a worried glance her way only to find her friend in thought. "You know, we haven't talked about Oliver at all lately." Caitlin pondered thoughtfully. "I'm assuming everything's okay now?" She asked with a curious quirk of her eyebrow.

Felicity hummed in agreement. "Yeah. The summer started off bumpy, but we worked it out and spent the rest of summer working on our trust slowly but surely." Felicity offered quietly. "He still parties and indulges himself, don't get me wrong, but he's doing it with moderation now and not while he has a serious girlfriend either. That and from what I've heard he's doing really well at Princeton so far." She continued, earning a thoughtful hum from Caitlin.

"Well, as long as he's not an ass to you anymore. Otherwise, just tell me where to hide his gorgeous body when I take him out." Caitlin only half joked. The two had become so close over the last year and a half that she knew Caitlin would legitimately do anything for her, and the feeling was mutual. "By the way, I'll head over to Ronnie's for a while, that way you guys have time to catch up! If you want, I'll also see about staying with him this weekend too. Feel free to stay in my bed. That way you guys have room to spread out." She offered with a sincere smile. "As yummy as the thought of possibly sharing a bed with Oliver may be..." Caitlin wistfully added as an afterthought, throwing a lasvacious grin at Felicity and wiggling her eyebrows a little.

The result was a deep blush and Felicity attempting to hide it by attending to the tea that just finished brewing which earned an amused laugh from Caitlin. "Well, I'm off to see Ronnie. I'll be in and out of course, and I definitely want to do dinner at some point this weekend so I can get to know your special boys!" Caitlin declared as she went to pick up her bag from one of their chairs at the dining table, just as Oliver and Tommy made their way back into the living room.

Picking up the mugs of tea, Felicity carefully moved into the living room and set them down on the coffee table before sending Caitlin a quick smile. "See you later. As always, tell Ronnie I say hi." Felicity said to her friend's disappearing form. Just as she was about to go back for the extras for their tea, Oliver came out of the kitchen carrying said items and offering a small shrug and smile to Felicity.

Offering him a grateful smile in return, Felicity plopped down on the far right side of the couch, Tommy eagerly took the spot on her left, with Oliver sitting down in the armchair just to Felicity's right. "I still can't believe you guys are here, in my apartment, in Boston." Felicity commented with a shake of her head and an astounded look as she took a sip from her mug of tea. "To what do I owe this visit though?" Felicity asked, glancing at them both with a puzzled look.

"Since we never got to come visit last year, and since I'm finally managing to stay above water, we both spontaneously agreed to come visit." Oliver began with a shrug. "We originally wanted to come out for your big 18th birthday in two weeks, but I have midterms that week, so we settled on coming up a bit earlier." He explained with an easy smile.

Nodding her head slowly, she eventually sent them both a big smile. "I'm really touched you guys decided to come visit. Hopefully I can make it an entertaining visit though. If you had warned me I could have made plans." She chastised playfully.

"Don't worry about it Felicity, we're just here to spend some time with you and see MIT while we're at it. Anything else is just a bonus." Tommy replied affectionately, throwing an arm around her to pull her in for a side hug, Oliver nodding along with Tommy's words in agreement.

Curling into Tommy's side, a content smile settled over her lips which she flashed to Oliver briefly. She had been missing them like crazy lately, so their visit couldn't have been timed any better. "By the way, Caitlin said she's probably going to stay with Ronnie this weekend so that we all have a comfortable place to sleep. I'll be in her room, so that leaves my bed and the couch. So feel free to fight among yourselves for who sleeps where." She informed with a playful grin.

"I call the bed!"

"I call th-"

Oliver beat Tommy to the punch on that one, and as a result he gave fist pump and sported a victorious grin at a deflated Tommy. Felicity giggled and shook her head at their antics. It's like they were nine instead of nineteen. "Aw man! Any way I can convince you to trade with me tomorrow? It's only fair." Tommy pouted with a glance at Felicity as if for confirmation that he was right.

She threw her hands up as if to say leave me out of this. "I'm sure I won't mind switching with you tomorrow." Oliver conceded with an amused laugh.

Seconds later, Felicity's stomach gave a loud rumble and she sheepishly blushed at the pair who stared at her like she'd grown a second head before busting out laughing. "I totally forgot that I haven't had lunch yet. I had class until 1:30, then I rushed back here to take a nap, so your little surprise made lunch totally slip my mind." She laughed and then leaned around Tommy to check out her window. "Looks like the weather finally cleared up a bit. How about I take you guys to my favorite sandwich café on campus, and we can talk more about what you guys want to do this weekend?" She suggested, looking at them both to gauge their reactions.

"Sounds good to us. We both haven't eaten in a while either, so food sounds amazing right now." Oliver responded while Tommy nodded along vigorously in agreement. Felicity extracted herself from under Tommy's arm and heaved herself up from the couch. "Perfect! I can't wait to show you guys around finally. Let me just grab my bag and then I'll be ready."

As soon as said bag was in hand, Felicity nearly dragged the pair out of the apartment in excitement. The boys shared knowing looks and smiles at Felicity's infectious excitement, both clearly content to be spending time with their favorite girl again.

****

So far, Oliver and Tommy's visit had been amazing. And much needed too as it was a welcome reprieve from an already hectic school year.

On Thursday, after their late lunch, Felicity showed them around the rest of campus. Basically, she talked their ears off for a few hours while they were content to follow her around wherever she wanted to take them. She showed them anything and everything she could think of: her old dorm, the computer science building she practically lived in these days, their insane recreation center that had a climbing wall, a famous fountain, and even their geology department that actually has a dinosaur skeleton on display.

Since they were all exhausted from walking around for almost two hours, by the time they returned to Felicity's apartment they all agreed to have a quiet night in before going to explore downtown Boston on Friday. So, the rest of Thursday night was spent sprawled out on her couch with Felicity squished between the two boys, watching ridiculous comedies, consuming way too much pizza, and chatting about anything and everything that came to mind. For a moment, it was like they were transported back to one of their high school movie nights, and Felicity couldn't stop smiling at how right it all felt.

On Friday, after Felicity almost literally had to kick both of the boys out of bed to wake them up, the trio headed out into Boston for a day on the town. What Felicity hadn't told the boys though was that she hadn't really explored Boston herself, so it was all new to her as well. They got lost wandering around a famous seafood market, and after some teasing from Tommy, Felicity shyly told them that she had no idea what she was doing either. They all briefly shared a laugh at that before Tommy began fussing over the fact that she studied too much. Overall, though, it had been a really fun day finally exploring the parts of Boston she always hoped to visit, that and she had the perfect company for the adventure.

Around dinner time, and after way too much walking, the trio met up with Caitlin and Ronnie for dinner at a well-known seafood restaurant in the area. Felicity was silent for most of the dinner, letting Caitlin and Ronnie get to know Oliver and Tommy. Most of what ran through her mind was how weird it was seeing her two worlds collide and mesh so seamlessly. Well, most of the time they bonded over telling embarrassing stories about Felicity, which pretty much had Felicity blushing like the lobster she was eating the entire night.

As dinner was finally wrapping up, conversation shifted to their evening plans. "Felicity, any plans to hit up the nightlife later?" Ronnie inquired curiously as he leaned back in his chair and laid an arm across the back of Caitlin's seat.

Felicity frowned slightly, and glanced at the table. She'd been trying to come up with something all day, but kept hitting a snag. "Nothing yet. They both have fake ID's. I don't though because I detest the idea, and do you really think a bouncer or bartender would be convinced." Felicity laughed easily. "You guys are more than welcome to go explore Boston's nightlife. You know it's not really my thing anyways." Felicity directed to Oliver and Tommy who both seemed nonplussed by the idea.

"We're here to hang out with _you_ , Felicity. We're not going anywhere without you." Oliver affirmed seriously, and even though Tommy hesitated slightly he nodded along with his friend. As touching as that should have been, Felicity's frown deepened as her guilt increased. She didn't want to be a party pooper just because she happened to be so young still.

Ronnie cleared his throat. "If I may, I think I have a great compromise. I was thinking about throwing a party at my place tonight anyways, but this gives me a great reason! It's going to be a few of my frat buddies, lacrosse teammates, some sorority girls, and anyone else who wants to stop by. Nothing too crazy, but it'll definitely be fun. If that works, feel free to stop by after 10." He proposed.

Felicity nodded her head slowly and looked over to the boys who were waiting for her verdict. "That sounds like the perfect compromise, thanks Ronnie!" Felicity grinned.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tommy pump his fist in excitement. "Awesome! Now we can see how hard you smarties like the party." He announced, sharing a fist bump with Oliver and Ronnie. Felicity and Caitlin promptly rolled their eyes at their boyish antics.

With that decided, they paid the bill and went their separate ways for the time being. On their way back to Felicity and Caitlin's apartment to prep for the remainder of their evening, try as she might she really wanted to be excited for later, but she couldn't help the fingers of anxiety creeping up inside of her as he mind ran through all the possibilities of how things could go wrong. 

 

Ronnie was right – the party was a pretty good time overall. But she hadn't seen Oliver or Tommy in more than an hour, and it was starting to bum her out. For all their talk about spending time with her this weekend, that seemed to end pretty quickly when a pretty girl flashed them a smile. She wasn't entirely sure that's where they were, but she had a hunch. The apartment was big, but not that big, and despite being fairly drunk herself she knew Oliver and Tommy had been talking and flirting with a few girls last time she saw them. So, all signs pointed to the obvious conclusion that they had gone home with girls for the night.

Without them here, she was rapidly losing interest in the party since they weren't really her thing in the first place. The only reason she was at the party was because she knew Oliver and Tommy liked this kind of thing. She should have been more worried about them too, but she'd given them both a key to her apartment earlier in the night just in case something like this happened, and they were both adults who didn't need her to babysit them.

Without anything keeping her here then, she was eager to head home for the night. She heaved a dejected sigh, surveyed the room one last time to make sure she hadn't missed them, and then sought out Caitlin who was playing some drinking game with Ronnie. Pressing her way through the crowd, she came up behind her friend and touched her elbow to get her attention. Caitlin held up a finger to Ronnie before stepping away from the game to join Felicity. "Hey, everything okay Lis?" Caitlin asked, leaning close so they could hear each other over all the noise.

"I'm just heading home." Felicity responded in her ear, unable to keep the hint of disappointment out of her voice. She just hoped that the party noise was loud enough, and that Caitlin was drunk enough not to notice.

Caitlin, however, pulled back, gripped Felicity's arms gently, and frowned at the clearly upset look on her friend's face. "Where are Oliver and Tommy?" She asked.

Damn her for being so observant, even when drunk. Felicity bit her lip and avoided her friend's knowing gaze. "I... I don't know." She forced out. "That's why I'm heading home. You know this isn't my scene, so without them here I'm finally free to go back to the comfort of my bed, well your bed for now." She joked, clearly trying to deflect from her disappointment.

"Here, let me come back with you. We can grab some junk food on the way back, cuddle on the couch, and watch TV until we pass out." Caitlin offered, clearly not buying Felicity's act.

Felicity grabbed Caitlin's hands from her arms and squeezed them reassuringly in her own. "Stay! Have fun! We had a long day, so I'm really just heading straight to bed, and I'd hate to ruin your night with that." She assured, plastering on the most comforting smile she could.

"Are you sure?" Caitlin hesitantly asked, searching her friend's face. Felicity nodded with a reassuring smile. "Okayy, well call me if you change your mind and want some company." Caitlin offered before pulling Felicity into a massive hug.

Bidding Caitlin goodbye, with one last hopefully comforting smile, Felicity swiftly exited the party and made the brief trek back to the apartment. Curling into her coat against a cold autumn breeze that blew by, Felicity sighed into the wind. So much for the perfect weekend.

Stepping into her apartment and out of the chilly evening air finally, Felicity slowly undid her layers and made her way to her room after grabbing a glass of water to hopefully help herself sober up a little bit. While changing into a pair of flannel pajama bottoms and a plain white shirt, the silence echoing throughout the apartment suddenly seemed deafening.

She knew it was a little irrational to be upset. They weren't doing anything wrong per se. It just hurt that they couldn't spend one special weekend with her without chasing a piece of tail. "God, I sound so selfish right now." She mumbled frustratedly. This had to be the alcohol talking.

Tucking her clothes away in her dresser absentmindedly, with her thoughts on how disappointed she is with herself, she missed the door to her apartment open and close quietly.

"Felicity?"

The quiet whisper into the empty air of the apartment made her jump suddenly before peeking her head out of her room to see who was there. "Oliver?" She asked, clearly staring at him but not quite believing he was really here.

He flashed a big, drunken smile at her. "Hey! I'm glad I caught you before you went to bed. I'd hate to wake you." He said, only managing to slur a few words. "Where's Tommy?" He asked, a puzzled frown settling over his features.

Slowly stepping out of her room and further into the living room, Felicity frowned back at him. "I don't know. I think he's with some girl." She mumbled, moving around him and into the kitchen to prepare him some water because it looked like he really needed it.

"Shit. You came back by yourself then? I'm so sorry Felicity." He lamented, gingerly grabbing the water from her when Felicity returned with it.

Avoiding his pleading gaze, she shrugged one shoulder half-heartedly. "It's all right." She offered, but Oliver wasn't having any of that.

"No, it's not. Shit. I promised to do better by you. I honestly thought Tommy was still there." He fretted, running a hand through his hair and pulling at the ends slightly. "I just stepped out to walk a girl back to her place. She was really drunk and I wanted to make sure she got home safe. When I got back I couldn't find you, and Caitlin said you went home. I just figured Tommy was with you too." He explained rapidly as he began to pace back and forth in front of her, clearly beating himself up for it.

With a slight hesitation in her step, Felicity pinched her lips together and stepped closer, placing two hands on his chest to stop him when he paced back towards her. He immediately stilled under her feather light touch. Felicity watched his firm chest heave under her fingers for a beat before looking up to him with a reassuring smile. "Really, I'm fine Oliver. I'm glad you're back..." She began, and watched his intense gaze shift to happily relieved, but she still saw the slightly unfocused undertone. "But you're still pretty drunk. Go get some sleep." She suggested, patting his chest encouragingly with her right hand. "I guess it's your lucky day too, you get my bed again." She joked as she turned to go to Caitlin's room, tripping over her feet slightly in the process which had her cursing alcohol under her breath.

Oliver's hand shot out and grabbed her's when she tripped, presumably to keep her from falling, and before she knew it she was being crushed into his chest in a tight hug. "'Night Felicity. I'm glad I got to come visit." His deep voice rumbled out before squeezing her gently again. Then, as quickly as the hug began it ended, and Oliver was disappearing into her room. Felicity stared at her door that he had gently closed behind himself. _That was odd..._

Felicity shrugged it off and disappeared into Caitlin's room, grateful to finally be climbing into bed. Sleep didn't want to come easily though. They say alcohol is terrible for your sleep cycle, but it was more than that. It was Oliver, of course. Suddenly, she couldn't keep her mind off him. The fact that he had taken care of a drunk girl instead of sleeping with her spoke volumes about how much Oliver had been working on bettering himself. Then, how upset he'd been earlier when he found out she came home by herself. She knew he was drunk, but still... And that hug. She didn't know what got into him, but she liked that he seemed to be making good on the second chance he'd been given to right his life.

Her racing thoughts had her tossing and turning in bed for about 45 minutes until the uncomfortable warmth she was experiencing finally forced her out of bed. Throwing back the covers with a huff, she threw her legs over the edge of Caitlin's bed and sat there in thought for a moment. Deciding that changing her pants for shorts would be a good start, she quietly padded out of Caitlin's room and down the hall to her room. Hopefully, she would be able to get in and out quietly without disturbing Oliver.

Slowly turning the door knob and gently easing open the door, Felicity tiptoed into her room as quietly as she could manage. Glancing to her right, she saw the dark outline Oliver's large body huddled under her blankets. Forcing her gaze away from him, she shuffled over to her dresser, trying her best to make her way around in the dark without bumping into anything. Just as she stepped up to her dresser, she heard Oliver shuffle in her bed – he seemed to be rolling over. She stilled instantly and held her breath, hoping he was still asleep.

"F'licity?" He mumbled sleepily ( _or maybe he was still drunk?_ ) into the darkness.

Felicity's back stiffened instantly. She really hoped to make it in and out unnoticed. "I'm sorry I woke you. I just needed to grab something real quick and then I'll be going." She whispered back into the darkness as she frantically attempted to find her sleep shorts.

"Mmm... s'okay." He mumbled out again. After a beat of silence, Felicity thought he'd gone back to sleep, but then she heard him shuffling around in her bed again. Finally turning back around, she squinted against the darkness and noticed that he'd shifted to the other side of her bed and was clearly looking at her, even though she couldn't see his eyes. "Stay for a while? Missed you." He offered quietly, gesturing to the opening he created in the bed for her.

Suddenly, her heart was thudding in her chest. Did he know what he was asking? Probably not because it seemed like he was still drunk. Felicity was pretty sure she was still tipsy too, if she were being totally honest with herself. Why? Because despite knowing she should just turn around and go back to Caitlin's room, her body was literally gravitating towards her bed and him. She just couldn't bring herself to turn around. There's nothing wrong with talking, right?

With tentative steps, Felicity inched over to her bed and climbed on until she was laying on her back awkwardly next to him with her shoulder grazing his slightly in their close proximity. Though she has a queen size bed, Oliver was huge and swallowed up most of her mattress with his massive stature.

They lay there in such an awkward silence for a while that Felicity almost thought he'd fallen back asleep on her. Not only was it awkward because they were laying together _in her bed_ , but they hadn't been physically close in more than a year. She never used to shy away from touching him, or hugging of any form, holding hands, or even the occasional platonic cuddling if they were alone when they were younger. Ever since she'd come to MIT, they had only so much as hugged briefly a few times, and that distance was only exacerbated by Oliver's treatment of her earlier in the year. It was the last part of their friendship they had yet to resume because for Felicity it meant really letting him get close to her again, emotionally speaking.

Just when she was sure he was asleep again, and shifted slightly to leave, Oliver finally spoke. "I miss how close we used to be." He began sadly. "This never used to be awkward - you and me spending time alone that is. But then I became such an ass that I ruined the one truly good thing in my life." He grumbled quietly.

Felicity was surprised. Surprised that he felt just as awkward, and surprised that he still felt his mistakes weighing on his shoulders. "You didn't ruin this." She offered quietly, hesitatingly placing her fingertips on his forearm that was right next to her hand between their bodies. "I told you it would take time for me. It's tough to get back to where we used to be in just a few months. And then going off to school again doesn't help matters." She concluded with a soft, reassuring laugh.

He hummed in agreement, and she felt the muscles of his forearm flex and relax subtly under her soft touch. She understood. She felt it too. She wanted to hold him, be held by him again. She missed his protective presence. The only reason she still held back was because they'd been apart for a few months now, so their mending process had been put on hold. For now, she would settle for this small connection.

"How's Princeton so far?" She asked, switching to a lighter topic. They honestly didn't need to keep hashing out the past. Oliver needed to trust her that things were still okay between them, and reopening old wounds wouldn't help matters.

He rolled over onto his side suddenly to face her, his arm slipping out from under her fingers which met the warm mattress where his arm had been. Rolling her head to her left to meet his gaze, she saw him smiling contentedly at her. "It's really good actually." He began before his mind briefly drifted. "There are so many crazy things that are specific to Princeton though. It's been difficult adjusting." He laughed.

His infectious smile found it's way onto Felicity's face. She was really happy that he seemed happy. "Like what? What's the weirdest thing those elitists do?" Felicity teased, earning a mock affronted look from Oliver, to which Felicity responded with a raised eyebrow because Oliver was technically an elitist himself.

"Hmm... let me see... oh! So, they have their own type of frat/sorority that they're famous for. It's ridiculous. They're called Eating Clubs, and they're open to all genders. Some of them you actually have to essentially audition for, and the current members decide who they want to join. It's crazy selective and definitely elitist, but they're the social center of campus so they're almost impossible to avoid." He explained with a laugh because it sounded ridiculous, even to him and he was used to it.

Felicity scrunched up her nose at the idea and laughed with him. "That's kind of horrible and it sounds so exclusive. Princeton would have something like that." She teased before a yawn bubbled to the surface which she just barely stifled.

"Free beer though Felicity! If you go out one of them on the weekend, some of which may or may not require that you literally be on a list if you're not a member, it's literally unlimited free beer. It's amazing. The beer is generally really shitty though, but sometimes a club will have a nicer selection once in a while." He explained passionately, earning an eye roll from Felicity.

"We're talking about a set of clubs, that you have to audition to get into, have to be on a list to get into sometimes, and it's all okay because free beer?" She chided, raising another eyebrow at him. "Princeton definitely has some interesting traditions." She commented sarcastically, earning a deep laugh from Oliver.

"Without a doubt." He agreed whole-heartedly. "I really do like it there though. It's not like I'm a star student, but I'm holding my own finally. The community is small, and there are so many resources to help me succeed. The awesome architecture is just a bonus. And... it's much closer to you too." He explained, fixing her with a more serious look at the end of his statement that Felicity felt like she was drowning in. "Maybe I'll come visit more often, or you can come see how weird Princeton is for yourself soon." He offered hopefully.

Blinking sleepily, Felicity felt herself fading fast. In her tired state, it took her a moment to realize what Oliver was suggesting. When it did, she smiled at him and nodded her head against the pillow. "I'd like that. I hear it's beautiful there in the Spring." She suggested, earning a bright, hopeful smile from him that made her heart flutter slightly. "So, what's another crazy tradition I should be aware of?" She asked around another yawn that she attempted to stifle, but didn't accomplish quite as effectively this time around.

Oliver gave her an amused smile at her yawn, and continued on. "There's this weird myth, about the main arch leading into campus. If you walk through the main gates anytime between matriculation and graduation, you're cursed to not graduate in four years. Everybody believes it too, so we all..."

She tried to stay awake, she really did. Oliver's voice and presence were just so soothing though, and the exhaustion of the day had finally caught up to her, so she was out like a light before she knew whether Oliver finished his story or not. 

 

Warm, so warm. So protective. Those were her first thoughts when her mind slowly came to the next morning.

Snuggling herself further into the warmth all round her with a hum of contentment, it almost didn't register with her that something was also pulling her further into the warmth as well. Almost.

Blinking her bleary eyes open a few times, her fuzzy gaze finally focused on a chest that shouldn't have been in her bed. Squinting slightly, she willed her still sleep-ridden brain to wake up and remember why she was here. Extracting her head from the warm chest slightly, she peered up to see Oliver's peaceful, sleeping face and she breathed out a sigh of relief. At least it wasn't a stranger.

Slowly recalling last night, she realized she had fallen asleep on him at some point during their conversation, and they must have naturally ended up this way at some point. Shifting slightly, Felicity realized they were in a very interesting position. It wasn't sexual at all, so that's probably why she hadn't already leapt from the bed, it was just... intimate. 

They were both curled together on her side of the bed, Oliver holding her protectively in his arms against his chest, and their legs loosely intertwined. There weren't any wandering hands, no embarrassing positions, no morning "surprises". Just them holding each other again like they both ached to do last night.

While selfishly enjoying being in his arms for a moment longer before she needed to start planning her escape, she happened to glance down to see that his shirt had bunched up slightly. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the tail-end of the arrow peeking out from the hem of his shirt. She hadn't seen his mark since his 18th birthday, and she found herself drawn to it. Before she knew what she was doing, her hand was the one to wander as it unwedged itself from wherever it had been to come up to touch his mark.

Intently observing his soulmark, she hesitantly touched her fingertips to his mark and traced the exposed pattern with a feather-light touch. Goosebumps bloomed on his hot skin at her touch and she heard his sharp intake of breath above her. "Felicity..?" He croaked out, almost as if he were in pain.

She jumped slightly at the sound of his voice and quickly extracted her hand from his skin, clutching it to her body. Tilting her head up to look at him, she looked like she'd just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar while Oliver stared down at her with an indiscernible look in his eyes. It was somewhere between confusion, hesitancy, happiness, and... desire? "Sorry." She mumbled, tucking her head down again in embarrassment, and so she wouldn't have to look into his confusing gaze anymore.

"It's okay, it was just sudden and cold." He chuckled before clearing his throat slightly, his body suddenly tensing all around her. He must have just realized where they were. "Sorry about... this." He vaguely offered, but it was clear he was referring to their position.

Biting her lip gently, she shook her head against his chest and that seemed to relax him slightly. "It's fine. I actually mi- " She began, but was cut off before she could finish her thought by the sound of her front door opening and closing loudly followed by a pained groan.

"Fe-li-ci-ty?" The voice groaned desperately.

"Tommy." They both said at the same time, sharing a laugh. It sounded like he was extremely hungover. "I should go take care of him." She whispered as she shifted away from him. Oliver reluctantly opened his arms and rolled onto his back to let her go.

Easing herself out of bed slowly she made her way over to the door. Just before opening it, she turned back to him. "Last night was really nice. I miss talking like that." She confessed with a serene smile before opening the door and making her way to the living room.

Looking around in confusion, she finally found Tommy leaning over the sink, guzzling down a glass of water. A second later, she was surprised to feel Oliver's presence as he stepped up behind her. She just figured he'd stay in bed. Maybe he wanted to get a kick out of hungover Tommy. "Hey buddy, fun night?" She teased, hearing Oliver chuckle behind her.

Tommy slowly turned around to give Felicity a withering look, clearly unamused. But then he paused, and his face scrunched up in confusion as he peered at his friends. Suddenly, Felicity felt like he could somehow tell they had slept together. _Not_ slept together _slept together, like spent the night together... in the same bed, and then woke up cuddling... totally platonically. There's no way he can tell, right?!_ She internally panicked, a slight blush tingeing her cheeks. "When did you come back Ollie?" Tommy finally asked, and Felicity breathed a subtle sigh of relief.

"Last night." He offered shortly, but she could still hear the smile in his voice because Tommy still looked like he was struggling.

"Wait... you didn't go home with that girl?! I'm disappointed man." He groaned, both in disappointment and in pain as he clutched his head when a fresh headache washed over him momentarily.

Felicity pinched her lips together slightly at the mention of the fact that Oliver should have been with that girl last night. She'd honestly forgotten about it until now.

"Well, I'm glad I came back, because otherwise Felicity would have been by herself." He responded, a bit more forcefully than Felicity thought necessary, but apparently it got Tommy's attention because he blanched instantly.

"Shit." Tommy whispered as the realization dawned on him. "I'm so sorry sis, I didn't even think about it." He grit out, cringing at another wave of his pounding headache flared up. "Thank you for taking care of her Ollie." Tommy said gratefully through his pain.

"Let's be real buddy, you know she's the one who took care of me." Oliver joked, gently nudging Felicity affectionately with his arm.

She shot him a brief smile of thanks, before rounding on Tommy. "I guess you're forgiven, but only because it seems like your hangover is punishment enough." She acquiesced with a playful shrug.

Tommy sighed in relief and came forward to scoop Felicity up in a big hug. "You're the best sister ever." He grinned and Felicity briefly patted him on the back. "And don't you forget it." She quipped, earning a big smile from Tommy when he released her.

"Now that that's settled, how about we get some brunch?" She suggested, looking from Tommy to Oliver.

Oliver shrugged his shoulders and slid his hands into the pockets of his sleep pants. "I could definitely go for some food." He offered, both looking to Tommy to see if his stomach was up for it.

He looked hesitant for a moment, almost on the verge of going green in the face, but slowly nodded. "I think I can manage to eat. I know I need it." He laughed gently, still fearing his headache's return at any moment.

"Great. Let me go get you some Ibuprofen Tommy, and then we can all clean up and I'll take you to MIT's famous brunch spot. They have the best pancakes." She explained. Turning to go, she caught Oliver's eye and shared a brief smile with him before she disappeared into the bathroom to search for the Ibuprofen while the boys went their separate ways to clean up.

One thought ran through her head while she readied herself in Caitlin's room: she was glad Tommy hadn't returned last night. As horrible as that sounds, it had given her and Oliver a chance to reaffirm that they were still on a path to achieving their new normal. That and she'd gotten her best sleep in weeks, albeit while wrapped up in Oliver's arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked that fluffier chapter. Based on the timeline I think you all know what's coming up next ;), so now you see why I broke it up. It's gonna be a fun chapter, and I can't wait to get it out to you guys!


	7. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll keep this short and sweet, because it's a moment you all have been waiting for! I'm so glad you enjoyed that lighter filler chapter, but now onto the good stuff.
> 
> Have fun guys :)

_Two weeks later_

_This was one of her earliest memories with Oliver. She and her mom had just moved in with the Merlyn's. Tommy was going over to the Queen's, and Malcolm suggested taking Felicity with him so they could all spend some time together. She met the Queen's briefly at the wedding, but she had been introduced to so many people that day that she barely remembered them._

_As soon as their driver pulled up to the main entrance of the Queen mansion, Tommy flew out of the back seat and practically sprinted to the door, leaving a shy Felicity to nervously follow behind him. "You'll really like Ollie! He's my best friend, so that makes him the coolest." Tommy called to her, giving her an excited smile just as the door was pulled open by an elderly, foreign looking woman who greeted them with a kind smile._

_"Mr. Tommy, and you must be Ms. Felicity. So lovely to meet such a beautiful young woman." The motherly figure greeted in a heavy accent that Felicity couldn't place. "Hi Raisa!" Tommy beamed at the woman just before spotting Ollie behind her. "Ollie!" He enthusiastically called, sprinting over to envelop his friend in a huge hug._

_Stepping into the large foyer of the Queen mansion, Felicity shyly stood next to Raisa and her comforting presence while she watched her brother greet Oliver. She felt like she was intruding, even though Tommy had never complained once about having his new stepsister tag along with him today. A comforting hand gently touched her shoulder, and she glanced up with wide, innocent eyes at Raisa, whom Felicity realized must be a nanny of sorts. "Mr. Oliver is a very kind boy." She quietly assured, clearly sensing Felicity's nerves, to which Felicity could only respond with a shaky smile._

_When the two broke their hug, Tommy turned to Felicity with a huge smile and beckoned her over to them. Shuffling over, she offered a shy smile to Oliver. "Ollie, this is my new sister Felicity! She's super cool too, so I know you guys will like each other." Tommy stated with so much conviction that Felicity was stunned. Tommy's unconditional acceptance of her so early on warmed her heart._

_Glancing back to Oliver, her nervous blue eyes met his own kind, bright blue eyes and she knew she was a gonner from the start. There was something about him, even then, that called to her and made her gravitate towards him. "Hi Felicity, I'm Oliver. That's a really cool name by the way." He greeted with a kind, welcoming smile that instantly put Felicity at ease. "Thanks." She shyly responded, but her smile was more open now._

_"Wanna come watch cartoons with us? That's all we really do on Saturday's when we hang out." Oliver offered, earning a small nod from Felicity.  
"Last one there is a rotten egg!" Tommy called out before racing off to who knows where. With amusement in his eyes, Oliver motioned for Felicity to follow him as they took off together after Tommy, grinning like fools at Tommy's ridiculous behavior._

_That memory faded into a more recent one. A memory she buried a long time ago and never thought she'd revisit._

_Specifically, the last New Year's Eve she officially celebrated._

_It all played in slow motion this time though. She lingered on the memory of his gaze when he made his heartfelt New Year's toast. His eyes seemed to be trying to tell her something that neither of them had been ready to admit back then. She remembered the comforting presence of his warmth when he stood so close to her, like it was calling out to her. And that look in his eyes, like he too felt the call, like some unknown force was drawing them together in that moment. Even now, she could still recall in crisp detail the feel of his chest under her hands – still lean and boyish, but strong enough to support her that night._

_Then. The kiss. Her dream slowed the moment down, as if that second's long kiss lasted a lifetime. His lips were so soft and oh so gentle against her light touch. Neither of them had dared to move their lips at the time, both just savoring the feel but afraid that if they moved the moment would be over. Finally, it was the feel of his fingers against her cheek. She would never know whether he was going to continue or push her away. She had been too scared to find out. But, she would always savor the feather-light, almost caressing touch of his fingers on her soft skin._

_The last vision she saw before this one faded too was the confused, but longing look in his eyes when she dared to glance at him before she ran away, and the sound of her name falling from his lips when he called after her._

_The next memory confused her. It felt so real, but at the same time everything was off about it._

_She was older, maybe late-twenties, and... blonde? Maybe this wasn't her memory after all. She was also cooking (or attempting to cook) an omelet, and failing miserably. Well, at least she still wasn't a good cook in this dream; so far it's the only thing that made sense. Taking stock of her surroundings, she was in a very domestic setting. It was a beautiful suburban style home, something one would settle down and raise a family in. It honestly looked like every little girl's dream._

_Suddenly, a pair of deliciously strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her back against a hard, sweaty body. Turning in the embrace, she met a pair of shockingly familiar blue eyes that were gazing at her with unadulterated love. "What have I told you about cooking?" Oliver's deep timbre rumbled out before pecking her on the lips affectionately._

_"Leave it to you." Felicity automatically responded as her arms wound around his neck to pull him close. With a grin, Oliver treated her to a longer, lazier kiss that had them both smiling like idiots when they finally broke apart. "How was your run babe?" She asked between kisses._

_"Great, but I couldn't seem to run fast enough to get back to you." He grinned, earning an eye roll and playful slap on the chest from Felicity. "When did you become such a sap, Oliver?" Felicity chided, but the sparkle in her eyes said she clearly enjoyed it._

_He gazed down at her with so much adoration that it nearly took her breath away. "When the most amazing woman in the world finally gave me the chance to love her like she deserves." He stated like it was obvious. "Now, step aside and let me salvage breakfast while I still can." He teased, planting one last kiss on the tip of her nose._

_Letting him get to work, Felicity hopped up on the kitchen counter next to him and quietly observed him in action, deftly moving about the kitchen as he masterfully prepared them breakfast in the most domestic scene Felicity's brain could envision. Suddenly she was overwhelmed by so many feelings at once: bliss, contentment, a sense of peace, and... unconditional love for the man next to her._

 

Her eyes flew open and stared out into her dark room in a daze. Her chest heaved with each heavy breath she took, and her skin glistened with a thin sheen of sweat.

It was like she was reacting to having a nightmare. In truth, that was kind of the case. The intensity and realness of the emotions she experienced in that last dream scared her to her very core. Associating those emotions with Oliver was not possible. Ever. So, her subconscious drafting up a fantasy like that was just cruel.

Suddenly, anxiety gripped her body like a vice. She hadn't dreamt of Oliver like that in more than a year. There was a reason her brain decided to play tricks on her last night. Leaning over to her nightstand, Felicity clicked the home button on her phone and instantly paled.

8:05 am, October 26th.

Her 18th birthday.

Numbly, Felicity flipped back the covers and shuffled into the bathroom across the hall. She needed to know.

Shutting the door behind her and locking it, Felicity turned to the mirror above the sink. She didn't need to search. She knew where _it_ would be, almost instinctively. With trembling hands, Felicity gripped the hem of her nightshirt, pulled it over her head, and clutched it like a safety blanket against her chest. Staring at her reflection for a moment, with her heart hammering in her chest, she took a deep breath and turned to her left to bare her back to the mirror.

Felicity inhaled sharply. There, starting at her mid-back, running between her shoulder blades, and ending at the base of her neck was an unmistakably familiar emerald green arrow. _How...?_ Was all she could think.

Out of the nearly 7 billion people on this planet, fate linked her to none other than Oliver Queen. The one person who had the ability to crush her heart beyond repair if she let him in.

Staring at the mark permanently etched into her back for just a beat longer, she forced her gaze away from the mirror finally and slowly eased her shirt back over her shaking body. With a shaky hand, she slowly opened the door and forced herself to make her way to the kitchen to start her coffee as if it were any other morning.

In her numbed state, she completely missed the message from Caitlin when she first entered the kitchen. By the time she finished preparing her coffee on autopilot, her eye finally caught sight of a pastry accompanied by a note sitting not too far from the coffee machine. It was her favorite chocolate croissant from her favorite bakery.

Any other morning, she would have loved the sweet gesture, but of course this turned out to be anything but an ordinary morning. Her stomach curled at the thought of food at the moment, and she felt horrible because Caitlin had nothing to do with it. Taking a long, shaky sip of her coffee, Felicity reached out for the note next to the pastry.

_Happy Birthday Lis!_

_I hope you enjoy the pastry, I know it's your favorite. I'm bummed that I couldn't spend the morning with you because of my early class, but I'm looking forward to the best celebration ever this evening. Get ready for a very Felicity birthday evening! (I promise I don't have anything wild planned, I know you better than that)_

_Have a great day girl, and I hope your big day is everything you hoped for and more._

_Xoxo, Caitlin_

Felicity smiled sadly at the note, a few tears springing into her eyes. She was lucky to have been randomly paired with a roommate as amazing as Caitlin last year. Then it dawned on her; she needed to talk to Caitlin, and preferably over tons of wine tonight. Caitlin was the perfect person to talk to about her soulmark conundrum. She wasn't personally friends with Oliver, and she had found her soulmate already. She knew she could trust Caitlin to give her an honest opinion, and that the news wouldn't somehow reach Oliver if she knew.

Turning her back on the pastry for now, but still clutching Caitlin's note in one hand and her coffee in the other, Felicity's newly determined strides took her back to her room in search of her phone. Sitting back down on her bed, she traded the items in her hand for her phone on her nightstand, but hesitated when she saw the blinking light that she had a notification.

Lighting up the screen, a text from Oliver displayed itself. Now fate was just playing games with her. Breathing in deeply, she clicked on the text.

**Oliver Queen: Happy Birthday, Felicity! I wish I could be there to celebrate the big day, but my midterms had other plans. Speaking of, I have a midterm later today, but can I call you later this evening after it's done? I want to hear all about your big day.**

She re-read his message a few times over before finally making her decision. She couldn't let him think anything was amiss, at least not until she wrapped her head around what was going on. Shooting him a quick thank you and letting him know he was welcome to call later, she put that proverbial box aside and went back to her original mission. Pulling up her and Caitlin's messages, she shot her a brief but hopefully hinting text.

**Felicity: Thank you so much for the pastry and the touching note. Do your plans later include a lot of wine? I'm going to need it.**

Setting her phone back down for the time being, Felicity forced herself to get ready for the day. As much as she wished she could just curl up in bed and contemplate life all day, she had a full day ahead of her. Plus, some normalcy was probably good for her to help distract her temporarily.

After finishing up in the bathroom, she heard her phone ding with a new text message. Before going to change, Felicity opened up the text to see that Caitlin had responded.

**Caitlin Snow: You got it! I'll get Ronnie to pick up a few bottles of your favorite red. Everything okay?**

Felicity smiled at her phone. She knew it was the right choice to go to Caitlin.

**Felicity: Maybe... I just need a friendly ear, lots of wine, and probably tons of greasy takeout tonight. I hope that doesn't clash with your plans :/**

Before Felicity could take two steps towards her dresser, her phone dinged again.

**Caitlin Snow: My plans aren't anything that can't be shuffled around. As long as you're okay. If you need anything, I mean anything, before dinner don't hesitate to call me. You know I'll be there in a heartbeat.**

**Felicity: I think I'll be okay, but thank you. That really means a lot. Have a great day, and I'll see you later.**

With that settled, Felicity dressed herself quickly in a pair of dark-wash jeans and a grey sweater (she subconsciously reached for a dark green one originally, but hastily shoved that sweater back in the drawer when she realized what she was doing) after noticing she'd be late for class if she didn't hurry up. Throwing on a navy blue duffle coat to protect against the chill that accompanied late October autumn's in the Northeast, Felicity rushed out of the apartment, but not before pausing to grab the pastry in case she finally regained her appetite later. With a daunting schedule ahead of her, Felicity willed herself to focus on her classes and not on Oliver as she made her way to her first class of the day.

 

Today had to have been the longest day of her life. She left her apartment at 8:55 am, and finally returned at 5:00 pm after a full day of classes. It had served as an excellent distraction from the dilemma at hand as she'd hoped, but she was exhausted.

Opening up the door to her apartment, she was greeted by Caitlin's smiling face and their living room table littered with wine, Chinese takeout, and one mini cake placed right in the middle. "Happy Birthday!" Caitlin exclaimed, jumping up from the couch to envelop Felicity in a warm hug. "You finally joined the land of the legal." She teased, which earned a tired laugh from Felicity.

Caitlin picked up on Felicity's mood immediately and frowned slightly. "Come, get cozy. I got a bunch of your favorites, including those dumplings you love." Caitlin said sweetly, guiding Felicity over to the couch and promptly pouring her a glass of wine. Felicity made a mental note to thank Ronnie for the wine later when she was feeling better.

Setting her backpack down next to the couch and easing her coat and shoes off, Felicity collapsed onto the couch and eagerly accepted the glass of wine Caitlin was offering her. It didn't last long though. Felicity downed the wine in a few gulps and gently set the empty glass on the table. Leaning back into the comfort of the couch, she let her body slump slightly in exhaustion while she gently bit her lip in contemplation of where to begin.

Taking a small sip of her own wine, Caitlin eyed Felicity and her empty glass warily. "Now you really have me worried Lis. What happened this morning?" Caitlin gently asked, the concern for her friend evident.

She tapped her finger on her thigh gently while her brain moved a mile a minute trying to sift through all the relevant information necessary for this story. "Did I ever tell you about Oliver's soulmark?" Felicity asked curiously after a minute. Best to start from the beginning.

Caitlin raised a curious brow at her. "I don't think so. You've seen it? He showed it to you?" She asked, trying to wrap her head around where this could possibly be going.  
Felicity hummed in agreement softly. "The day of his 18th birthday. Before everything went south last year." She began with a slow nod of her head, her eyes unfocusing slightly while her mind drifted to this particular memory. "He threw this crazy joint graduation/birthday bash at his mansion. I snuck away from the party at some point, and he went looking for me because we hadn't gotten to spend any time together due to the hectic nature of the party. We ended up by ourselves, just talking about the future. Somewhere along the lines he felt like he had to show me his soulmark, so he just whips off his shirt with no warning." She explained, pausing briefly to laugh at the memory of how embarrassed she'd been. "After I recovered from my embarrassment, I finally noticed it: a beautiful, powerful emerald green arrow running the length of the left side of his stomach." She trailed off, motioning to the spot on her own body. Her features suddenly fell into a sad frown. "I've never forgotten what it looks like." She said, practically whispering at this point. It was her attempt to hide the emotions bubbling to the surface again that she'd worked so hard to bottle up to make it through the day.

Caitlin just sat there with a mildly puzzled look fixed to her features, just letting Felicity talk. She had a feeling she now knew where this was going, and if she was right, this is going to be a doozy.

Pulling in a deep, shaky breath, Felicity shifted so her back faced Caitlin and she pulled the back of her sweater up until just enough of the mark was bared to her friend so she could get the picture. She heard Caitlin gasp softly and the soft accompanying sound off Caitlin setting down her own glass of wine in shock. "No way..." Caitlin breathed, bringing out a hand to gently touch the mark, as if she didn't believe her own eyes.

Felicity sighed heavily, letting go of her sweater, hiding her mark from the world again. She slowly turned around to face her friend again who looked like she was in absolute shock. "I dreamt about him last night, for the first time since we had our falling out. I thought it was a coincidence, since he came to visit last week, but the moment I woke up I knew it wasn't." She shakily continued, the numbness beginning to set in now that she was opening this can of worms again. "That night, when he showed me his mark, he told me he dreamt of his soulmate too. He couldn't remember the details, but that she was familiar, like he knew her already." Felicity recalled, a small, thoughtful frown forming on her face. "Knowing what I know now, he probably didn’t get the full dream because I didn't have my mark yet." She mused briefly before waving a hand to get back on track. "So, imagine my surprise when I found his, well now our, mark this morning." She deadpanned with a small scoff, sinking back into the couch again.

After a beat of silence, in which Caitlin stared at Felicity in open-mouthed shock, Felicity finally turned to her friend with watery eyes. "I wanted to tell you because I'm just so lost. I can't tell any family until I figure this out because somehow it'll get back to Oliver, and you're already happily in love with your soulmate, so you know what it's like to have met your other half. You're the only one I can go to right now." She pleaded, her eyes never leaving Caitlin's slowly softening gaze.

Caitlin shifted over on the couch and bundled Felicity in her arms. The time for questions and answers would come, but for now Felicity just needed a shoulder to lean on. "I'm here for you. We'll get through this." Caitlin whispered, gently rubbing Felicity's back while her friend held on for dear life.

"He texted me this morning. He wants to call me later... to hear about my day, and just chat I guess. I don't know if I'm ready to face him yet, even over the phone." She whispered desperately into Caitlin's neck.

Caitlin gently grasped Felicity's arms and leaned back slightly. "I'll text him later and tell him that I got you a bit too drunk." She grinned, her eyes crinkling slightly. That finally brought a small smile to Felicity's face. "He'll get a kick out of that." She commented weakly, earning a laugh from Caitlin.

"He'll be sad he missed seeing that." She joked softly before turning and picking up the bottle of wine. "I have so many questions, but more wine first. Now I know why you requested this." She continued to joke, hoping some lighter banter would ease the mood in the room before they delved into heavier topics again.

Caitlin poured both of them generous glasses of wine and then lifted her's into the air between them. "Here's to... new beginnings." Caitlin suggested with a somber smile. "New beginnings indeed." Felicity echoed thoughtfully. They clinked their glasses together, and both downing several generous gulps of wine this time.

The pair sat in silence for a while after that, both of them trying to collect their thoughts, process what had been revealed, and prepare for the deeper discussion to come. After awhile, and when Caitlin finally figured out that Felicity was hesitant to begin again, Caitlin ripped the band aid off. "You've got yourself one hunk of a soulmate girl, and someone who already knows and cares about you deeply." She complemented, hesitating briefly while trying to choose her next words. "But, you're not happy...?" Caitlin ventured tentatively.

Felicity drew her bottom lip between her teeth, her brow furrowing in thought. "Ronnie is quite the looker too, Caitlin, don't sell yourself short. You guys have a great thing going for you." She started, a wistful look passing over her features. Flashes of the last stage of her dream came to her in that moment, and her wistfulness was replaced with pain and doubt. That dream was too good to be true, and allowing herself to hope for that outcome would probably only lead to pain and heartbreak. "I should be happy. It's like a fairy tale: childhood best friends turn out to be soulmates. I'm just... just afraid because I have a feeling our soulmate connection is... unique, and that I'll get burned if I succumb to it." She explained, frowning slightly as she struggled to find the right words to express her fears.

A thoughtful frown passed over Caitlin's face. "I guess it is supposed to be kind of scary, being with your soulmate that is." She started, but paused again as she mulled over Felicity's words. "I mean, your soulmate is someone you share an almost magical connection with, and the depth of it can be terrifying. Your souls are bound together by fate, and it's beautiful. There's a reason he's your soulmate. He's made for you in a way that you're both better when you're together than you could ever be apart. You just have to trust that." She finished with a reassuring smile.

Felicity's frowned deepened. Clearly that didn't work. "How can I trust that Oliver is supposedly made for me when the man supposedly made for my mother walked out on us when I was seven?" She asked bitterly. "That's why I'm so scared I guess. My mom fell hard for my father, invested every fiber of her being into their relationship, and when he left she was devastated. It was like the whole world was crumbling into nothing around her. Her soulmate broke her heart. She trusted their bond, but it betrayed her. I thought she'd never recover. That was a hard time, watching my mom become a shell of her normally vibrant self." She choked out, tears springing to her eyes at the memory.

"With Oliver... this isn't even about whether or not he might have feelings for me; that's a whole other conversation. It's just... he's already hurt me once Caitlin. That was devastating enough and I didn't even know we were soulmates then. I just don't know if I can trust him with my soul." She stressed, her eyes begging Caitlin to see her side of things. "One... one of the dreams I had, I think it was supposed to be the future. Dear god, we were so in love. This sounds great, but it was unlike anything I've felt before. The intensity of the feelings scared me, still scare me honestly. If he were to fall back into his old habits and hurt me again, or even treat me like he did Laurel, I don't think I'd ever recover. I'm scared of giving him my heart because I know how painful it would be to lose him."

A sad look settled in Caitlin's eyes as she slowly reached out and took Felicity's hand in her own. "Love is scary, especially when it's true love. I'm not saying Oliver is perfect. That boy has a lot of growing up to do still, but one thing I do know is that he already cares deeply for you. I watched you guys last weekend, as creepy as that sounds, but it's clear as day that you mean the world to him already, whether he knows that himself or not." She said encouragingly, giving Felicity's hand a soft squeeze that Felicity weakly returned. "Don't give up on him just yet. He might be nothing like your dad, and your love could be famous one day. What I'm saying is that I don't want you to miss out on the chance that you could have something great with Oliver. He might be the one to prove you wrong one day if you give him the chance. You _both_ deserve a chance at love, Felicity." She suggested finally.

She knew Caitlin was right, but that didn't mean she was ready to take that chance yet. She may be ready one week from now, one month, or who knows when, but certainly not right away. Seeing Felicity's hesitation, Caitlin jumped in again. "I'm not saying you have to try tomorrow, but he deserves to know eventually. You might never really be ready, but then again who's ever truly ready to fall in love. Just, don't wait too long, okay?" She gently pressed one more time with an encouraging smile.

Felicity nodded after thinking on it for a minute. "I'll tell him eventually. How does one even bring this up anyways? Like, hey we're soulmates and I've known for months now!" She joked lamely with a stiff laugh. Caitlin grinned and shook her head. "This is definitely a unique situation, but I'm sure you'll figure it out when the time comes." She comforted with a small laugh. "We'll take this one step at a time, and I'll be right here for you every step of the way. Now, enough worrying for the moment, let's eat! We might have to reheat the food though."

"Thank you for talking me down. I'm definitely still confused about what I want, but I do feel better than I did just an hour ago, so I can't thank you enough for that." Felicity acknowledged, giving Caitlin her first real smile since she walked in the door. Caitlin returned her smile and reached out to squeeze Felicity's hand one last time.

After heating up the Chinese take out that had gone cold, the pair were curled up on the couch again and happily chowing down on tons of the greasy food. What finally disturbed their peace and quiet was the surprise of Felicity's phone blowing up. Felicity glanced nervously to Caitlin as she picked up her phone. Checking the caller ID, Felicity let out a heavy sigh, but Caitlin promptly pulled the phone out of her hand and tossed it onto the armchair far away from Felicity's reach before she could do anything. "Don't worry about him for now. You're in a better place now, but you can always call him tomorrow after a good night's sleep. There's no need to rush. I'll text him as planned in a few hours." Caitlin reassured before stuffing a huge fork full of noodles in her mouth which caused Felicity to giggle slightly.

"How are you the best and the worst at the same time?" Felicity asked rhetorically, sharing a knowing look with Caitlin who shrugged comically. "It's a talent I suppose." Caitlin laughed. "When are you planning on seeing him again anyways?"She asked out of curiosity.

Felicity paused with a piece of General Tso's chicken halfway to her mouth, the fork drooping slightly when she tilted her head in thought. "Winter break, I guess. I'm actually planning to go home for it this year, and I figure he'll be home too. Knowing Tommy, I'm sure he'll rope us all into hanging out together at some point. I guess that gives me about a month and a half to prepare." She contemplated before finishing her earlier task of eating this particularly delicious rendition of General Tso's chicken.

Caitlin nodded and hummed contemplatively around yet another mouthful of noodles. "I'm sure you'll be just fine. And who knows maybe it'll be a perfect time to tell him! Oh, wouldn't that be so romantic – a snowy, magical soulmate reveal, maybe under the mistletoe even!" Caitlin nearly squealed in excitement.

In contrast to Caitlin's sudden excitement, the mere thought of admitting this to Oliver so soon made Felicity flinch instead. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Caitlin. As romantic as that seems, I doubt I'll be ready to tell him by then. I mean, it'll be our first in person contact since the reveal." She placated, trying not to think about having that talk with him so soon.

Caitlin pouted slightly, picking at her noodles in disappointment. "You're right." She mumbled, still pouting slightly as she got caught up in the dream reveal scenario. Caitlin knew she couldn't push Felicity to do something she didn't want to, but a girl could dream.

Felicity shook her head, and tried to laugh at her friend's enthusiasm, but a slight tinge of anxiety had returned. Though she could put the issue of Oliver being her soulmate behind her for now, winter break was fast approaching. The mere thought of talking to him about it so soon, even just seeing him so soon, almost caused her to slip back into the deep hole of anxiety she found herself in this morning upon the discovery of her mark. Caitlin, sensing the sudden dip in Felicity's mood, quickly changed topic and began talking about the latest ridiculous stunt Ronnie had pulled with his lacrosse teammates. It served to distract her for the time being, but Felicity couldn't shake the lingering nerves in the back of her mind at the thought of going home for winter break. She just hoped that, by the time break finally arrived, she'd be able to face Oliver without tipping him off that anything was wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! I hope that lived up to the hype, and that her reaction was reasonable given everything that's happened between Oliver and Felicity thus far.
> 
> Now we're moving into the second stage where Felicity navigates what this development means for her and Oliver, so get ready for a bumpy ride because there's so much fun yet to come!


	8. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry for such a long wait, but here's the next installment!
> 
> I'm so overjoyed that you guys loved the big reveal, despite knowing what was coming. As much as I'd love to just skip straight to the all the amazing Olicity fluff now that I've officially revealed that they're soulmates, unfortunately you may feel the need to knock some sense into certain characters instead. Bear with me guys because there are still more twists to come!
> 
> Also, how. about. 5. freaking. 20! So worth the wait for the Olicity goodness we've been denied all season.

Tucking her chin further into her maroon scarf until just her eyes were visible beneath her grey winter beanie, and shoving her gloved hands further into the pockets of her parka, Felicity bounced slightly on the balls of her feet from both anxiety and the cold. Of all the days they picked for their outing, it happened to be the coldest day in Starling thus far.

"You look ridiculous, Felicity. It's not _that_ cold."

Felicity's barely visible eyes glared at Tommy as she continued to shuffle around to keep warm, and he let out a full bellied laugh at how adorable she looked right now. Her glare only deepened, and she mumbled a few annoyances under her breath at him. How was he not freezing his ass off?!

Momentarily ignoring her brother, who was still chuckling slightly at her expense, her eyes roamed the massive crowds of people passing by around the pair, anxiously looking for any sign of their expected guests.

A few days ago, after Felicity finally rose from the longest sleep of her life in an effort to recover from her exhausting finals, Tommy told her that Thea requested (more like demanded) that they all take her to the outdoor Starling Christmas Market this weekend – something the four of them hadn't done together in years. That meant Oliver would be here too, which is what had her so on edge. She was about to see him for the first time since getting her mark, and she couldn't be more nervous. Luckily, she would have Tommy and Thea to divert some of her attention.

Just when Felicity thought she was going to freeze her toes off, she spotted Thea eagerly pushing through the crowd, looking around everywhere for Felicity and Tommy. Oliver followed behind her, looking unreasonably stylish and handsome considering the weather, his own gaze swiveling around the crowd lazily. Felicity's eyes widened imperceptibly as she watched him approach, still unaware of her gaze. Her pulse quickened at the sight of him and suddenly she was sweating under her layers despite the severe chill in the air. _You can do this. It's just an outing among friends. There's no way he can tell yet. Just act cool_ , She thought to herself frantically, trying to calm her wild nerves.

"Speedy! Ollie!" Tommy suddenly called out loudly over the crowds of people, waving wildly to grab their attention. With her nerves still on edge at Oliver's presence, Felicity jumped slightly at Tommy's loud call. Dear lord, she really needed to relax. Taking a deep breath and slowly releasing it, she managed to relax her body minutely. It didn't last long though. The moment Oliver's eye slid over to them and instantly locked with her's, her skin felt like it was on fire and her nervousness slammed into her full force again. _Frack._ Her heart fluttered wildly in her chest as she watched an eye-crinkling smile break out on his face. With the way he was looking at her it was almost as if that smile was just for her.

Even when Thea's slim but powerful body crashed into her, enveloping Felicity in a huge hug, Felicity couldn't seem to break her gaze with Oliver. Though her arms automatically wrapped around Thea to reciprocate the hug, Felicity's focus was still momentarily with Oliver as her lips finally turned up into a smile for him. At her smile, she watched his whole body relax slightly before Oliver finally, though almost hesitantly, tore his gaze away to greet Tommy with a very manly hug. At the loss of eye contact it was like Felicity returned to her senses and the world began to move around her again. What was scary was that she hadn't even noticed that she had momentarily blocked out the world around her. Even weirder, Felicity couldn't sense her nerves or anxiety anymore. Both were still there, bubbling just under the surface, but it was like a sense of calm had washed over her, soothing her worries for the moment.

"Felicity?" Thea's voice broke through her daze. When Felicity came to, she found Thea's mildly concerned eyes searching her own. Felicity laughed off basically being caught staring at Oliver, and pulled Thea into another brief but tight hug. "Hey, sorry Thea. I guess I'm still recovering from being brain dead after finals." She covered quickly, offering Thea a big smile when she pulled back from the hug. Now that she was paying attention again, Felicity took a moment to observe Thea. The girl had grown again in the four or five month's since she had last seen her during summer break, and Thea was now practically eye-level with her. She still looked young at only twelve-years-old, but she was definitely growing up so fast.

Thea's previously concerned gaze melted into a sympathetic one. "Finals sound so tough. I never want to go to college." She whined, earning a small laugh from Felicity. "I'm glad you came home for break this year! I've missed you. We're going to have so much fun while you're home." Thea added with a bright smile, pulled Felicity into one last crushing hug before changing targets and launching herself into Tommy's arms.

Felicity looked on with a warm smile. Tommy and Thea were always so adorable together, and being a big brother, not just to Felicity but to Thea as well, clearly suited Tommy well. Unable to delay the inevitable any longer, Felicity finally glanced to Oliver, but paused at what she saw. He had been staring at her. Not casually though, but like he was trying to puzzle something out. As quickly as she noticed his curious gaze, it disappeared just as suddenly and was replaced with an easy smile. Like two cogs in a machine, and without thinking about it, Felicity and Oliver moved together to meet in the middle for their hug, Oliver's arms encircling her shoulders and Felicity's finding their place around his waist. Resting her cheek against his broad chest, she sighed softly and felt herself relax into his warmth, much to her surprise. She had been so nervous she was bouncing around not ten minutes ago, but here, in his arms, it was like none of that mattered anymore.

"Everything okay?" His soft voice whispered into the air around them, pulling Felicity from her musings.

"Never better." She responded automatically and honestly, surprising herself slightly with the truth of her own words. Oliver gave her a small squeeze in response and a small hum as if he agreed with her.

"You guys! Enough with... whatever it is you're doing, we have so much to do!" Thea called out innocently, effectively breaking the trance Felicity and Oliver seemed to be in. They reluctantly separated, Oliver huffing out an awkward laugh and Felicity's cheeks reddening slightly despite the cold. "Let's get hot chocolate first, it's perfect for such a cold day!" Thea suggested, bouncing around she was so excited at the prospect of what the day held for them. In classic Speedy style, she turned on her heel and sped off into the crowd, heading for their favorite hot chocolate stand.

Panic flashed through Oliver's eyes as his sister disappeared. Glancing back at Felicity, he gave her one last smile before taking off after Thea, leaving Felicity alone with Tommy to follow after them. Felicity let out a breath, pleased that she managed to survive that interaction without doing anything stupid. Looking up to Tommy, she frowned slightly at his curious stare, his eyes glancing between her and Oliver a few times. She was sure she wasn't being that obvious about the new connection between her and Oliver. "What?" She asked guardedly.

Tommy blinked in surprise, shaking his head at her. "Nothing. Just glad to see that you guys are close again. You guys had me worried there for a while." He joked, clearly deflecting away from the real reason why he was essentially inspecting them a second ago. Felicity decided to let it go for the moment, confident that she had nothing to worry about. With an easy smile, Tommy bundled her under his arm and followed after Oliver and Thea. "Let's get you some hot chocolate, Mrs. It's-too-cold-here." He laughed, earning another playful glare from Felicity, though she wasn't about to complain about getting some hot chocolate.

On their way over to Oliver and Thea, Felicity slipped into her own thoughts again as the events of the last few minutes replayed in her mind. There had been a subtle shift between Oliver and herself, that much was obvious. It was the little things, like the prolonged gazes, the lingering hug, the way they moved so seamlessly together. While those were all part of their relationship anyways, it was the new weight behind each of those small gestures that had changed. She was actually hoping to bank on the fact that their behavior wasn't overtly different, and hope that Oliver wouldn't pick up on the slight shift while she tried to figure out her feelings. More importantly though she noticed that, with Oliver out of sight, her nerves had returned. The instant comfort his presence seemed to provide, to the point that she forgot about her almost debilitating nerves, scared her. That knowledge made her nerves creep up on her again, this time with a tenfold increase. Her guess been correct: her connection with Oliver, enhanced by their shared soulmark, was special. She just didn't know the extent of their connection yet, and she was honestly afraid to find out.

Their arrival at the hot chocolate stand pulled Felicity from her thoughts again when Thea, bouncing excitedly in front of her, started excitedly discussing what hot chocolate she was going to get. Once they all had their hot chocolate in hand – including a peppermint hot chocolate with a massive, melty homemade marshmallow for Felicity -, they walked around the crowded market together and soaked up the magical atmosphere. Though it was a cloudy, cold day, there was just something about the cozy wooden stalls lining the streets of the market that were decked out in thick garland, various decorations and tons of Christmas lights, and the general feeling of joy among the crowds of people. During their explorations Felicity walked arm-in-arm with Thea, letting the younger Queen lead her wherever she wanted to go, with Oliver and Tommy dutifully following behind them. She was thankful for Thea's company during their walk. Felicity missed Thea often during her time at MIT, and it meant there wasn't a chance she would be left alone with Oliver again – as terrible as that sounds. Felicity just needed space to process what had transpired during their reunion.

After about two hours of Thea dragging her around to various stalls to look at gifts, Christmas decorations, or anything that mildly caught her eye, and after stopping to grab snacks at some point, they made it to the famous ice skating rink and the city's huge Christmas tree located at the center of the market. Mild dread filled Felicity when she felt Thea practically buzzing with excitement next to her. Glancing to her companion, Thea's eyes were indeed wide with excitement and, of course, trained on the ice rink.

Oliver's rumbling laugh bubbled up behind her, causing Felicity to stiffen imperceptibly, which she hoped no one would notice. "Do you want to go skating, Speedy?" Oliver asked, the amusement still evident in his voice. It was clear he was merely asking out of courtesy because there was no way he was going to deny Thea if she wanted to go skating.

Thea spun around quickly, breaking her contact with Felicity, and smiled eagerly at her brother. "Only if you all promise to skate with me!" She demanded before turning to look pointedly at Felicity, who was still facing away from Oliver and Tommy, with pleading eyes.

Felicity glanced nervously at Thea and bit her lower lip gently. "Thea... you know I'm terrible on skates." She pleaded gently, hoping she wouldn't break Thea's heart if she didn't skate with them.

Waving off her response, Thea smirked (almost evily if Felicity thought about it) and glanced at her brother. "Nonsense! Ollie can help you, right big brother?" Thea schemed, unknowingly making Felicity even more resistant to the idea of going ice skating with them. "Of course." Came Oliver's reply behind her, and suddenly she was backed into a corner. Like Oliver, there was no way Felicity was about to tell Thea no. Looks like she was going ice skating whether she wanted to or not.

Letting out a reluctant sigh and finally giving Thea an acquiescing smile, Thea's face instantly lit up and she grinned broadly at Felicity before dragging her over to the skate rental stand. Once they were all laced up, Thea and Tommy raced off leaving Felicity to awkwardly wobble over to the rink with Oliver dutifully following behind her. When she finally reached the rink, Felicity tentatively stepped out onto the ice and slid forward a bit to get out of the entrance while still clinging desperately to the wall. Glancing back, Oliver had a dumb grin on his face as he watched Felicity struggle slightly on the ice. "Shut up." She half-heartedly glared at him before pushing away from the wall and skating away slowly, trying to get her footing on the ice.

Still grinning in amusement, Oliver followed after Felicity with ease and the pair proceeded skated around the rink slowly for a while. Most of the time they were silent with Felicity focusing intently on her feet, where she was going, and being careful to avoid getting too close to Oliver. The silence was only occasionally interrupted by Thea and Tommy when they joined them for a bit. Other than that, they skated around together in a mostly comfortable silence. After skating around with Oliver for awhile, Felicity needed to take a break, both from skating itself and from Oliver's distracting presence.

Pulling up next to the edge of the rink and quickly gripping the railing to stop herself, Felicity turned to Oliver with a small smile. "Go spend time with Thea and Tommy for a while. I'm going to take a break." She suggested softly, avoiding his gaze and letting her eyes drift to where Tommy and Thea were skating and being obnoxious together instead. Oliver glanced warily between Felicity and the aforementioned pair, seemingly hesitant about leaving her behind for a bit. "Go. I'm not going anywhere." Felicity encouraged a bit more forcefully this time as she hopped up on the thick railing. Oliver gave her a small grateful smile. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to call for me." He stated seriously with a briefly heated gaze before skating off.

Letting out a puff of air in relief, she was happy to have some time to herself and pleased that she didn't totally botch skating around with Oliver, though the silence between them was probably a bit awkward. For now, she was happy to sit back and relax a bit and laugh at how ridiculous Tommy, Oliver and Thea were as they raced each other around the rink, occasionally trying to teasingly tackle one another, only to be reprimanded by the staff which just caused her to laugh more.

Eventually, when they tired of racing around, she saw Thea speaking heatedly with her brother while throwing a few glances her way. Nervously, Felicity looked away and drummed her fingers against the railing. Thea had been scheming all day, and whatever it was included Oliver and Felicity somehow. Next thing she knew, Oliver was skating up to her and came to a stop just in front of her so he was almost positioned between her legs. Felicity sucked in a sharp breath at the intimacy of the position. She wanted to pull him closer, to close the distance, but instead she forced herself to lean away from him slightly to put some space between them. What she couldn't resist, however, was pull of his sparkling blue eyes. "Thea sent me to request your presence on the rink again." He said quietly, his mouth quirked in a charming smile.

"Well, if it's Thea asking." Felicity joked back, tearing her eyes away from Oliver's to glance at an expectant Thea who was nodding at her eagerly. Throwing a smile at Thea, she attempted to gently slide off the railing to rejoin them. Key word: attempted.

It all happened so fast. Or, maybe it all happened in slow motion, she wasn't really sure. With Oliver standing so close, and in Felicity's attempt to avoid touching him when she dropped back down onto the ice, she stumbled slightly the second her feet hit the ice. Of course, in an effort to make sure Felicity didn't fall, Oliver reached out for her hand to steady her. The second Felicity felt his hand graze hers, her eyes flashed up to his face in surprise at the contact and she jumped to her right and away from his hand, but since she was already off balance it didn't end well.

"Eep!" She squeaked, her eyes widening in shock when she realized she was definitely going to fall. The next thing she knew she had landed on her butt, a massive blush of embarrassment blooming on her cheeks, and a confused, shocked, worried Oliver stared down at her. "Felicity?"

Her only reply was a meek smile and a stiff laugh as she shrugged off her fall, hoping he would just think it was her being clumsy. It didn't look like he bought it though. Fortunately, a concerned Tommy and Thea came to her rescue. Well, Thea seemed concerned. Tommy, on the other hand, was just laughing his head off which earned a punch from Thea and a sideways glare from Oliver. "Oh my gosh! The look on your face when you were falling!" Tommy bellowed out, still doubled over laughing. "Since Ollie can't keep you on your feet, looks like I'll have to take over." Tommy teased once his laughing died down, and he threw a playful wink at his best friend looked a bit put out and disappointed. When Tommy put a hand out to help Felicity up, she placed one hand on the railing, took Tommy's proffered hand in the other, and pulled herself up, only managing to wobble a little.

"Are you okay?" Thea asked once Felicity was standing again, concern written all over her face. Fixing Thea with a soft smile, Felicity nodded. "I'll be fine. My butt might be sore for a few days though."

Thea breathed out a sigh of relief, her face instantly relaxing. Reaching out, Thea tugged at Oliver's jacket to get his attention. "Come skate with me big bro! It looks like Tommy's got this one." Thea urged, finally drawing Oliver's slightly disappointed gaze away from Felicity. He gave a weak nod before skating off with Thea, but not before glancing back at Felicity again to make sure she was really okay.

Once Oliver and Thea were finally out of earshot, Tommy finally fixed her with a slightly concerned look. "Are you sure you're okay? What happened?" He asked quietly, his eyes inspecting her quickly for any obvious injuries. 

"I just lost my balance that's all. And, I'm fine, really. No need to go all protective big brother on me, okay?" She comforted with a smile, placing a hand on his arm in a soothing gesture.

With one last unsure look passing over his face, Tommy relented and returned her smile before holding his arm out to her. "C'mon, let's skate a little before we call it a day." He suggested with his signature charming smile. Rolling her eyes at his ridiculousness, Felicity took his arm with a smile and they joined Oliver and Thea for a few more laps around the rink.

As the sun began to set, the lights of the market slowly coming to life, and just when a gentle snow began to fall, they finally decided to call it quits. But of course, Thea had one last idea. They had all just deposited their rental skates and were prepared to say their goodbyes when Thea's eyes fixated on the huge Christmas tree with an eager glint to her gaze. "Let's take a picture with the tree! Who knows when we'll get to do this together again." She suggested.

Felicity, Tommy and Oliver looked between themselves and shrugged in acceptance. She had a good point. Everyone was growing up so fast, and would probably be going their separate ways soon enough, so getting to spend time together like this would be rare, making this moment definitely worth documenting. With the green light given, and enthusiastic Thea took Felicity's hand and made her way over to the tree with Oliver and Tommy following closely behind.

"Does anybody even have a camera?" Felicity asked, ever the voice of reason, as Thea positioned her in front of the tree and then took her place on Felicity's right side. In response, Thea pulled a digital camera out of her pocket with a wide grin. "I always come prepared." She boasted, earning a small chuckle from Felicity. She shouldn't have been surprised.

As soon as the boys found someone to take the picture for them, they joined Thea and Felicity with Tommy stepping up next to Thea, leaving Oliver to stand next to Felicity on her left. Felicity raised a curious brow at Tommy over Thea's head, slightly surprised that he chose to stand next to Thea. He simply shrugged and gave her a small grin in response. Maybe Thea roped him into whatever she was scheming.

Before she could think more on that, she felt Oliver's arm slide around her shoulders as he gently pulled her into his embrace for the photo. Her heart sped up slightly and she felt warmth slowly spread through her body at the contact. Lifting her left arm, she hesitated only slightly before wrapping her arm around his waist. When her arm made contact with him finally, he turned his head slightly to look down at her and she turned her's up as well to meet his gaze. Though the smile on his lips for her was subdued, his eyes reflected a deeper sense of contentment and happiness. Though Felicity's own eyes held a bit of apprehension, she couldn't help but smile back at him.

With the sound of her heart beating loudly in her ears, and her gaze caught up in Oliver's own captivating eyes, she almost missed the call for the photo. "...smile!" Was all she managed to hear the good Samaritan taking their photo say, but it was just enough to draw her attention. Quickly turning her head, Felicity gave a big smile for the camera just in time. The second the photo was taken and the camera handed back to Thea she quickly detached herself from Oliver, desperate to escape the overwhelming sensations he kept causing her when he was nearby. As a cover, she moved to peek over Thea's shoulder to take a look at the final product with her.

Tommy came up behind them both, throwing an arm over their shoulders and peeking his head between theirs. "Do I look okay? Did they get my good side?" He jokingly asked. Thea and Felicity looked at each other and rolled their eyes with a grin. Glancing back to the picture Thea had pulled up on the display, Felicity couldn't help but smile and swell with happiness. They all looked so happy, and with the beautifully lit up tree in the background and the slight snow falling, the picture was almost perfect.

"All right Speedy, time to go home. Mom told me to bring you home early." Oliver's voice cut through her thoughts.

Thea let out a groan and tried to use her puppy dog eyes on Oliver to let them hang out longer. Once Thea finally relented to Oliver taking her home, they all bid each other quick goodbyes and went their separate ways with smiles on their faces after a really fun day together.

****

Felicity had almost forgotten about this particular tradition. It had been a few years since they had done it, so it was reasonable that she had forgotten. She wasn't warned this was going to be happening when she came home, otherwise she might have purposefully stayed at MIT for another break. Okay, that's a bit of a stretch, but she was really dreading how boring tonight would be.

Tonight is the Queen's famous Christmas party.

It was the most talked about event of the holiday season among Starling's elite when she was younger. Since she didn't come home last winter break. and since they had spent the holidays the cabin the year before, she had honestly forgotten about this event. As the night was mostly about adults using a party as a cover to talk business, Felicity wanted nothing more than to be home curled up in bed watching Doctor Who. Instead, there she stood on the steps of the Queen mansion in a gorgeous floor-length red dress with her brunette locks falling in gentle curls down her back, next to Tommy who looked dashing in his fitted tuxedo, and just behind their parents, waiting for the torture to begin.

Seeing the door begin to crack open, Felicity sighed knowing her time was up and that she had to put on her business face for a while. She felt Tommy's shoulder gently nudge her's, and she looked up to see him giving her a reassuring smile, his eyes telling her he'd be right there with her. "Mr. and Mrs. Merlyn, welcome." Raisa greeted in her matronly voice, pulling the door open further to allow the family to enter. On their way by, Felicity and Tommy sent a warm, familiar smile to Raisa in greeting while trying to still seem professional for appearances sake. Knowingly, Raisa returned their smiles and threw them a small wink of recognition before gesturing the family towards the ballroom at the back of the house where the party was already in full swing.

The moment they entered the ballroom, but not before pausing to grab drinks being passed around on way too fancy trays, Donna instantly disappeared to go say hello to some of the other wives she had come to know over the years. Tommy had spotted Oliver across the room with his parents and took Felicity's hand to go to their friend, but Malcolm laid a gentle hand on his son's arm before they could get too far. "You have plenty of time to talk to Oliver later. How about the three of us go and say hello to a few of our family friends." Malcolm cooly suggested with a slight smile. His roundabout words didn't fool Tommy or Felicity. They both glanced at each other with a brief look of dread. Malcolm was about to parade them in front of various business partners and investors in an attempt to shore up the Merlyn name and to slowly integrate the potential heirs of Merlyn Global into the business elite.

While she watched Tommy give an apologetic look to Oliver and mouthed a brief 'I'm sorry,' Felicity on the other hand relished the chance to prolong spending time with Oliver just yet. Well, maybe not relished per se. She was dreading all the boring business talk, and the inevitable conversations about her studies, plans for the summer, and life plans beyond graduation. But if it meant taking more time to mentally prepare herself for being near Oliver again, she wouldn't mind talking to a few business partners if Malcolm wanted her to.

With Malcolm still looking at the pair expectantly, they both gave Malcolm forced, relenting smiles that they would play their part for a while. Malcolm smiled at the pair, pleased with their cooperation. "This won't take long. Let's go say hello to the Cunningham's first, they're our biggest investors." Malcolm firmly instructed before turning on his heel and heading for their first target of the evening. "Let's get this over with." Tommy mumbled under his breath to Felicity before sulkily following after his father.

Before taking her leave as well, Felicity dared to finally glance over at Oliver. Though everyone around him was engaged in small talk, he had been watching her instead, like he was waiting for Felicity to finally notice him. When her eyes finally met his, the right side of his mouth quirked up into the smallest of smiles for her. Her heart skipped a beat at how handsome he looked in that moment. "Felicity!" Tommy hissed nervously under his breath when he noticed she wasn't following, pulling Felicity's gaze over to Tommy briefly. Glancing back at Oliver quickly, her lips curled into a soft but brief smile for him before she finally followed after Tommy to begin the rounds.

 

After more than an hour of having to repeat the same answers about her life plans over and over again and then zoning out while Malcolm talked business, they finally made their way over to greet the Queen's. On approach, Moira, Robert and Oliver honestly looked every bit the part of royalty that their last name implied. Thank goodness she had grown up with this family, otherwise Felicity knew she would be absolutely terrified by the trio in front of her.

Upon approach, Malcolm gave Moira a kiss on the cheek and shook both Robert and Oliver's hands in greeting. "Moira, Robert, Oliver what a lovely party as usual. Where's Thea? I haven't seen her around at all tonight." Malcolm greeted, his tone less formal than earlier now that they were speaking to the Queen's.

"I'm sure she's around here somewhere, probably causing trouble knowing her." Moira commented with wry smile. "Speaking of daughter's, you look positively radiant Felicity. You really are growing into such a beautiful young woman." She praised, earning a bright blush from Felicity that almost matched her dress color. "Thank you, Mrs. Queen." Felicity meekly responded, still embarrassed at all the hefty praise she'd just received.

Tommy gently laid an arm across Felicity's shoulders and puffed out his chest with pride. "That’s my sister." He boasted with a big grin, sending a teasing wink to Felicity. Her blush only deepened as her gaze dropped slightly. She wasn't used to all this praise at once. Around her, Malcolm was giving Tommy a slightly disapproving look at his behavior, Robert gave a hearty chuckle, and Moira smiled affectionately watching the unlikely siblings interact. What she couldn't help but notice was how quiet Oliver was being. Hesitantly, she glanced over at him across the circle they had formed. Oliver was standing there, his hands slid into the pockets of his exquisite tuxedo pants, with a simple but happy smile while his gaze stayed trained on Felicity.

Before she could get lost in his eyes for the second time tonight, Robert injected himself into the conversation. "Felicity, will you be joining us at QC for another summer?"  
Quickly swiveling her eyes over to Robert, Felicity put on a slightly sad smile. "Not this summer. As a deal for being able to work with you last summer, I promised Malcolm that I would spend this summer at Merlyn Global. That way I get a feel of various companies to see where I might like to end up in a few years once I graduate. I even roped Tommy into working there with me this summer somehow." Felicity explained, throwing Tommy a devilish grin to which he responded with a withering glare.

"I'm sorry to hear that you won't be back with us this summer, though I certainly understand why. But as long as you're in Starling, I know Thea and Oliver will be happy to have you around." Robert replied with a knowing smile and a brief glance at his son.

"Robert, Moira, I think we've tortured these kids long enough. Why don't we leave them to finally be kids and go talk business elsewhere?" Malcolm suggested with a smile, motioning for the adults to take their leave. "I couldn't agree more. Let's take this to my office for a moment." Robert offered. "Felicity, Tommy enjoy the rest of your night, and do try to keep Oliver out of trouble." Robert said with only a slightly teasing tone before linking Moira's arm with his own and departing with Malcolm, leaving Tommy, Oliver and Felicity alone.

Heaving a huge sigh of relief, Felicity's posture relaxed slightly. Tommy swiped a relieved hand through his hair with a slight chuckle. "I thought they'd never leave. That was the worst hour of my life ever. So many pointless business conversations, and I'm pretty sure they were all about the same thing." He groaned, earning a small chuckle from both Oliver and Felicity. "I need a drink after all of that. Do you think I can swipe some stuff for us from the bartender if I ask nicely?"

Felicity gave Tommy an only slightly disapproving look. She wasn't opposed to a little something to take the edge off too. Oliver just gave Tommy a shrug and a knowing smile. "I'm sure the famous Tommy Merlyn can definitely charm his way into a drink or two."

With a mischievous grin, Tommy began to back away from them and towards the bar. "I'm counting on that. I'll be right back, and hopefully with some goodies for the three of us." He grinned, throwing them a confident wink before turning on his heel and disappearing into the crowd.

_Oh boy_ , she thought nervously. She had just been left alone with Oliver. Turning slightly to her right to face him, she was greeted by his intent stare again. He'd been doing that a lot lately. The way his eyes observed her quietly, but with purpose made her slightly nervous. Under the weight of his gaze, her right hand automatically came up to briefly brush against the base of her neck before casually dropping to her side again. To any onlooker, the gesture would seem like she was just brushing some hair away or scratching the back of her neck. In reality, Felicity was really checking to make sure her mark wasn't visible. The dress she had chosen for tonight was surprisingly conservative for exactly that reason. It had taken her an astonishingly long time to find a dress in her repertoire that didn't leave some portion of her back exposed, or have too low of a neckline that wouldn't completely cover the top of her mark. She just couldn't take any chances that he would accidentally discover her mark before she was ready for that conversation.

"I wish you hadn't encouraged Tommy. I'm definitely not taking care of him if he gets too drunk tonight. That's on you." She teased, hoping to deflect some of the tension that was bubbling under the surface between them.

"You do look beautiful tonight, Felicity." Oliver complimented quietly. Well, clearly he wasn't having any of her distraction tactics. Though his tone almost implied he thought she was _beautiful_ , the friendly smile and lightness to his gaze made it seem more like a you're-beautiful-as-a-friend beautiful. 

Trying to push past her momentary disappointment, her eyes briefly took in his own appearance. Dear lord, that tuxedo looks like it was made just to show off his beautifully toned figure that he'd grown into over the years. "You look very handsome yourself. Not that you don't always look handsome that is. Oh god, that sounds like I think you're _handsome_. You are, I mean look at you, but that's not how I meant it. I just mean that you're handsome. Andd now I'm talking in circles, and babbling, which I thought I was over and done with. But, you get what I mean, right? It's just an observation that's not meant to boost your already large ego that is. And I'm not talking about _that_ ego, just to..."

For the first time since receiving their mark, Oliver's bare hand came into contact with her own bare skin when he gently laid his hand on her arm, effectively stopping her babbling cold, among other things. She was pretty sure her heart stopped momentarily too at the delicious feel of his touch. One thought managed to pop into her mind that had gone blank moments ago: _Oh frack_. Glancing away from him with slightly wide eyes, she forcibly stilled her body in an effort to resist the sudden urge to feel his own skin under her hands as well.

After what seemed like a lifetime, Oliver's soft chuckle brought her back to reality, though she still remained stock still next to him, her hands balled into loose, slightly quivering fists. "I haven't heard a babble like that from you in years. I missed those. I think that was definitely a top ten babble too." He said softly, a hint of both amusement and nostalgia in his voice. When she finally dared to glance at him, she saw the slightly glazed look in his eyes as his mind wandered to years past and the slightly dopey grin that accompanied his trip down memory lane.

Apparently, while his mind was elsewhere, the thumb of his hand that was still resting on her arm decided to absentmindedly stroke her skin, her skin tingling under his tender touch. This development did not help her predicament... at all. Involuntarily, she shivered under his touch before finally pulling away from him slightly, though it was very difficult to bring herself to resist him in that moment.

Feeling her pull away from him was enough to bring Oliver back to the present. "Felicity..?" He asked quietly, a slightly puzzled frown settling over his features. And reasonably so. Even at their lowest she'd never pulled away from him like that, but now she'd done it twice since coming home for break.

"Guys! I managed to get a drink for each of us. I've got a fancy beer for you Ollie, some red wine for Felicity, and a martini for me." Tommy proudly declared when he returned, totally unaware of what had just occurred only moments ago and the slight tension that had settled between Oliver and Felicity as a result.

For Felicity, Tommy could not have arrived at a better time. And now, she really wanted that drink. Good thing Tommy knew her so well too, because that red wine looked incredibly appealing right about now. Reaching out, Felicity eagerly plucked the glass of wine from his full hands with a smile. "Never doubt the great Tommy Merlyn."

"Ollie?" An all too familiar voice interrupted from her right.

_Could this night get any worse?_ Felicity's fingers tightened infinitesimally around her wine glass as she recoiled slightly from the presence that had appeared on her right, coming between her and Oliver.

"Laurel, hi. It's really good to see you. It's... been a while." Oliver breathed out, slightly surprised at her appearance as Felicity seemed to be.

Laurel, looking as gorgeous as ever in a midnight blue dress, smiled happily at Oliver's response before turning her attention towards Tommy and Felicity. "Tommy, long time no see." She said sarcastically with a smile that Tommy seemed to return eagerly. Since they were both still at Stanford together, Felicity guessed they must still hang out often even though Tommy never seemed to mention Laurel. "Felicity, it's been so long! Tommy tells me you're really doing well at MIT." Laurel gushed with an affection for Felicity that stunned her. Laurel had never really taken an interest in her before, so the sudden change of tune was surprising to say the least.

Taking a long sip of her wine, Felicity painted a small smile on her face, deciding she'd roll with it. "I really love MIT, it was definitely the right choice, despite Oliver and Tommy's initial complaints. What brings you here tonight?" She asked conversationally.

Laurel gave a small shrug. "The Captain couldn't attend tonight, so since we're family friends with the Queen's my father was invited to attend in his place. This really is some party, Ollie. You're parents don't spare any expense for this event, do they?" She commented, in awe of the extravagance of the atmosphere. What Felicity didn't miss during that little exchange was the way Laurel gently placed her right hand on Oliver's arm when she spoke.

Felicity pinched her lips together as a sudden wave of possessiveness flooded her. The only feeling that outweighed her sudden jealousy was her shock at experiencing that particular sensation towards Oliver. She didn't know how to feel about this development. The question was whether the jealousy was just a symptom of their connection, or if she really was jealous of seeing Laurel flirt with Oliver which was a whole other issue. Then there was the possibility that it was a bit of both, which was probably the most terrifying option. Whatever the answer, Felicity didn't like it and knew she needed to get out of there, and quickly.

She was beaten to the punch though, but she wished she wasn't. "Actually, Ollie, can we go somewhere and talk? It's been so long, and it's so stuffy in here with all this business talk." Laurel jumped in again, her hand almost stroking his arm at this point.

Oliver's eyes slid over to Felicity briefly, which surprised her slightly. It was like he was looking for something in that slightly confused gaze of his. It's not like he needed her permission to go talk to Laurel though, if that's what he was looking for. His glance only lasted a few seconds, and his eyes were back on Laurel before Felicity could figure out why he looked to her in that moment. "Uh yeah, sure. I'll be back soon guys, don't have too much fun without me." Oliver said with one last smile for them before placing his hand on Laurel's back and ushering her away to someplace they could talk.

As they walked away together, Felicity's eyes focused on that one, innocent hand Oliver had on Laurel's back. Her face scrunched up slightly as if in pain. But then again, maybe she was. Though them talking might be nothing but friends catching up, she had a feeling she knew exactly what Laurel wanted to talk to him about. That thought made her stomach roll. She had to get out of there now, away from the crowds of people that suddenly made her very claustrophobic.

She turned to Tommy to give her apologies about ducking out on him too, but the surprises just kept coming. He covered it better, but Tommy was watching them walk away too, and Felicity could definitely see the hint of hurt in his eyes. If she weren't so distracted with her own issues, she'd ask Tommy about it. For now, she filed away that information, but she'd definitely be having a talk with Tommy in the near future. "Tommy... I'm going to go get some air." Felicity said softly.

For a beat, Felicity didn't think he heard her as he continued to stare, unmoving at the pair as they slowly drifted through the crowd. Just as she was about to try again, he tore his gaze away and finally glanced at Felicity. "Yeah, me too." He mumbled quietly, averting his gaze away from her again. Tommy made to hastily walk away, but turned to look at her as if her words had finally registered with him. "You okay?"

Felicity gave him a meek smile. "Yeah, I just need a break from all of this."

He nodded absentmindedly a few times before shooting her a relieved smile and then headed off into the crowd himself. Felicity watched her brother go, slightly concerned for him. She'd never seen him this way. Biting her lip gently, she contemplated going after him momentarily before deciding that it was probably best to give him some space, because that's exactly what she wanted right now. With her decision made, she turned away from the party and made her way back into the main house – the only direction neither her brother nor Oliver had gone, so she knew she'd be alone if she went that way.

Passing by the security guards, some of whom she knew having been around the house so often in the past, she gave a brief nod and smile before slipping into the quieter wings of the house. With her mind elsewhere, her feet eventually led her to the family living room. This had always been one of her favorite rooms in the house, besides the giant library of course. This room just felt so... personal. The whole room felt so cozy, unlike the grandiose of the rest of the house, and it was one of the few rooms in the house that the Queen's displayed any family pictures in.

For a while, Felicity just spent her time wandering around the perimeter of the room, sipping her wine, and taking her time to look at the many family photos. She saw photos of baby Oliver and Thea, a few family Christmas pictures, and even more recent photos of the family on various vacations. Her favorite photos though were always the ones with just Oliver and Thea, giving onlookers a brief glimpse into the beautiful relationship between the two siblings. Oliver's eyes always shone with so much love for his little sister.

Without knowing it, a small tear escaped her left eye and Felicity hastily reached up to brush it away. "What am I doing..." She whispered to herself, forcing herself to look away from a particularly touching photo of Oliver wrapping Thea up in a huge hug, both smiling widely at the camera.

Everything was so confusing now. One minute she was sure about her choice to keep her distance for now because she still didn't know how she really felt, the next she knew she was getting jealous over another woman even touching Oliver. Well, it didn't help that he and Laurel have a past already, and that it seemed like she was trying to revive said past. Now, here she is getting weepy over the love Oliver has for his sister because deep down, though she refused admit this to herself, she hoped he might look at her like that one day.

"Felicity!"

Felicity spun around suddenly, shock painting her features at the noise and that she wasn't alone like she thought. As soon as she recognized her new companion, her surprise melted into an affectionate smile. "Speedy, don't scare me like that." Felicity laughed, opening her arms up beckoning Thea for their customary hug.

Thea grinned and gratefully accepted the invitation, the girls wrapping each other up in a warm hug. "Sorry. I was just so excited that I finally found you." Thea admitted shyly. "By the way, you look beautiful tonight. This dress is gorgeous."

Felicity leaned back from the hug, affectionately cupping Thea's slim cheeks. "Thanks, I try." Felicity smiled. "Where have you been all night? I could have used your company hours ago." She teased, moving them over to the nearby couch where Thea promptly cuddled into Felicity's side once seated.

She grinned sheepishly up at Felicity. "I was hiding. These parties are so boring, and there's no one here even close to my age besides you, Ollie and Tommy. But I saw that you guys were forced into boring business talk too, so I just went and hid in the kitchen for a while. I was actually just about to head back to the party when I passed by here and saw you!" She answered before pausing, her features slowly morphing into confusion. "Why are you hiding?"

Felicity pursed her lips slightly. She wasn't hiding... was she? How did this one twelve-year-old know more about what she was doing that she did. "I um... well, you know how boring those events are. Tommy and I did our rounds with Malcolm, and I just... needed a break from it all. I'm terrible at doing the whole business talk thing." Felicity laughed, trying to downplay the fact that she was indeed hiding.

Thea hummed and nodded her head against Felicity. "Great minds think alike." She laughed, earning a small chuckle from Felicity before a comfortable silence fell over the pair. Suddenly, with an idea in her mind and a huge grin on her face, Thea shot up from Felicity's side and ran over to the massive Christmas tree in the corner of the room. "Thea...?" Felicity asked hesitantly.

"Hang on!" Thea called from under the tree where she was rummaging around. As soon as she found what she was looking for, Thea popped back up and took her seat next to Felicity again, and somehow it looked like her grin was even wider. Extending her hands, Thea held out a small rectangular package. "I know it's not Christmas yet, but since you're Jewish, and I'm pretty sure it's still Hanukkah, you're getting your gift from me now. I've been so excited to give this to you, and I just can't wait any longer. So, Happy Hanukkah!" She said, nearly bouncing in her seat she was so excited.

Felicity stared down at the gift in slight shock, gently reaching out to take it. "Thank you Thea, I don't know what to say." She whispered, touched by Thea's enthusiasm.

Thea pushed the gift into her hands and looked up to Felicity with an eager smile. "Open it already!"

With one last smile of gratitude for Thea, Felicity neatly removed the wrapping paper to reveal the back of a picture frame. A puzzled look settled over her features because that definitely wasn't what she was expecting. Flipping it over, her heart stopped again for the second or third time tonight (she'd lost count) and she sucked in a sharp breath.

It was a picture from their recent trip to the Christmas Market together. But not just any picture, and certainly not the one she'd seen on Thea's camera that day. Staring up at her was a jarring scene. Apparently the photographer had captured the moments just before the final picture. In this photo the only difference was that she and Oliver weren't smiling at the camera, but were instead smiling at each other. Well, they were more than smiling at each other. They were looking at each other with so much affection that it bespoke the true depth of their connection. The image before her was as close as you could get to physically capturing the soulmate connection in action. Her hands trembled slightly around the beautiful, handmade wooden frame as so many emotions rushed her at once at the sight before her. "Thea..." She whispered hoarsly, unsure of what to say.

"Isn't it such a cute photo! I had so much fun that day, and I wanted each of us to have a copy of the picture. Then I came across this photo and I couldn't resist. You two are so cute. " She explained, that devilish grin Felicity had seen a lot of recently reappearing on Thea's face. "I got Ollie the same picture for his Christmas gift."

Suddenly, as if all the pieces finally fit together, Felicity realized what Thea had been up to lately. "Thea, I don't know what you think is going on between Oliver and me, but we're just friends and have only ever been friends. I don't want you to get the wrong idea." She explained gently, ignoring how wrong it felt to say those words in her attempt to convince Thea otherwise. "Thank you for the gift. I mean that. It is a great photo of a great day." She placated, gently reaching out a hand to squeeze Thea's affectionately.

Thea's earlier excitement was traded for a pouty frown as she looked from Felicity to the picture. "My brother is an idiot then." She mumbled quietly, the disappointment at Felicity's words evident. What Felicity wasn't sure of was whether she was meant to hear those words. After staring at the picture for a few beats longer, Thea gave Felicity one last hopeful look. "Are you sure? This picture..."

"Is a really lovely memento of how close Oliver and I are as _friends_." Felicity explained, gently cutting Thea off before she could say anything that would make Felicity look more into image in front of her than she wanted to right now. Gently setting the photo down on the couch behind her, Felicity turned back to Thea and pulled the young girl into a tight hug. "Really, thank you Thea. The photo is beautiful, and I really will cherish it forever." She whispered, her voice brimming with emotion. "And... I'm sorry to dash your hopes."

Thea pulled back from the hug with a sad smile and a shake of her head. "It's okay Felicity. Just... don't give up on my brother okay? Because I'm not going to. He'll come around, I know it." Thea said with a conviction that Felicity didn't even possess about her future with Oliver. The knowing look in Thea's eyes that accompanied her statement surprised Felicity too. Thea was one smart girl, and Felicity's weak attempts to dissuade her clearly weren't going to work.

The only response Felicity could muster was a small, tight-lipped smile. Tonight's events had given her a lot to think about, and seeing this photo and hearing Thea's thoughts only made things more convoluted for her. So much for taking a peaceful break to gather her thoughts. "How about we get back to the party? I'm pretty sure more than a few people will be wondering where we both have wandered off to." Felicity suggested, rising from the couch and extending her hand to Thea. As much as she loved Thea, she needed to distract her by taking her back to the party. Thea was a girl on a mission, and Felicity wasn't ready to answer the millions of questions Thea had for her that she could see swimming in the young girl's eyes, mainly because Felicity had been asking herself the same questions and still didn't have the answers.

Taking Felicity's hand and lacing their fingers together affectionately, Thea rolled her eyes playfully with a dramatic sigh. "Fine. But only if you promise to stay with me the entire time. All those old men are really creepy."

For maybe the first time tonight, Felicity let out a loud laugh. "Don't worry, I'll be by your side the whole time. Us girls have to watch out for each other." She assured with a small squeeze of Thea's hand.

Thea smiled brightly at Felicity, and Thea's infectious happiness brought a smile to Felicity's face. With her gift discreetly tucked under one arm, and her other hand delicately intertwined with Thea's, Felicity made her way back to the ballroom for what was a thankfully uneventful remainder of her evening. Less than an hour later, after Felicity took Thea to say hi to Donna, and after eventually finding a slightly tipsy Tommy who took both Thea and Felicity for a brief spin on the dance floor, Felicity blessedly departed with her family once Malcolm reemerged with the Queen's from their extensive business chat. 

The only problem: she had gone home without seeing Oliver the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said, you might want to knock some sense into some people haha.
> 
> Please don't hesitate to leave comments, thoughts, or even questions. I always love reading how passionate you guys are about this story, and that makes me so excited to keep writing for you guys!


	9. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, you guys keep stunning me with your reactions to each new chapter! I love the general consensus against Laurel in the comments too. I know her reappearance is frustrating, but hang in there guys.
> 
> Oh man, I don't even know where to begin with this chapter. So, here's a very appropriate reaction gif that pretty much sums up my feelings:
> 
>   
>    
> 
> 
> You guys are really going to love this. It was so much fun to write, and I felt like it was about time for a chapter like this.
> 
> There are some fun 5x20 parallels in this chapter too because I couldn't resist (they're not exactly what you're thinking of though, we're not quite there yet ;) ).Enjoy guys!

Stepping out from his en suite bathroom in just a pair of khaki pants, Oliver ran a hand over his freshly shaven jaw to inspect his work one final time as he made his way over to his bed. Picking up the dark blue button-up and shrugging it on, his eyes glanced to the alarm clock on his bedside table.

8:50 pm.

Surprisingly, he was right on time. He was meeting Tommy and Felicity at a New Year's Eve party at a penthouse in downtown Starling, and knowing the crazy traffic he'd have to deal with tonight, if he left in the next ten minutes he _might_ make it to his destination by 10 pm.

Rolling up his sleeves and putting the final touches on his outfit for the night, his eyes drifted to the photo sitting next to his alarm clock. It was the photo Thea had gifted him for Christmas, and a photo he looked at often. He thought it was a really representative photo of the four of them. Upon first glance, you could tell how close they all are with each other. They just looked like they all fit together. There's Tommy giving his signature charming grin, Thea smiling so enthusiastically that it looked like her face would get stuck like that, and then... there was he and Felicity. Part of the group, yes, but also sharing their own special connection like they have since they were kids. Though if you asked him even six months ago, he wouldn't have guessed that he and Felicity would regain that deep connection after the mistakes he had made.

He smiled at the photo, his eyes lingering a moment longer on how happy he and Felicity looked. A contemplative frown settled over his features and replaced his smile as he went to collect his coat and a few belongings he needed for the night. There had been two things nagging at him lately that he was reminded of by looking at that photo just now. Though the photo seemed to confirm that they were close once again, Oliver was pretty sure something was still bothering Felicity. But he was still trying to puzzle out what. She had been jumpy around him lately, and still a little reserved. After visiting her a few months ago, he thought they were finally back to normal to the point where they could be totally comfortable around each other again. Maybe he had misread the signals. Everything felt so natural around Felicity again, and he felt more than content when she was near, but maybe she wasn't there yet. Whatever the reason, he would give her the time she needed. He still needed her in his life as his best friend, and he couldn't bear the thought of pushing her away by assuming they're okay again before she's really ready.

Eventually drawing himself from his pensive thoughts, he finally forced himself to head downstairs to the car waiting to take him to the party. On his way down, his mind drifted to the other curiosity: his sister. She has been up to something for a while now, that much he knew. He knew that keen look in her eye whenever she set her mind to something. What terrified him is that he had no idea what she was up to, why it involved him, and what the photo had to do with it. Yup, somehow the photo was supposed to mean something to him. He remembered how quickly Speedy's face went from eager excitement to disappointment at his reaction to the photo. He loved the photo, and thanked her from the bottom of his heart for it because he had a feeling he'd cherish it for a long time, but somehow that wasn't what Thea had been looking for. He was pretty sure she even called him stupid and blind under her breath, but she said it so quietly he couldn't be sure. Whatever it was, after that day he was pretty sure Thea had put her plans on hold, if not scrapped them all together.

Climbing down the last few stairs into the grand foyer of the mansion, he noticed his sister waiting to see him off. _Speak of the devil_ , he thought humorously as a big grin came to his face. "Hey Speedy."

She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him her best puppy dog eyes. "Are you sure you can't change your plans and celebrate with us tonight? I don’t want to be stuck with Mom and Dad by myself."

He gave her a slightly sad smile now, coming up and placing his big hands on her slim shoulders. "I'm sorry Speedy, but I know you'll have a good time tonight. Plus, it's just one New Year's Eve. There'll be plenty more for us to celebrate together. And if it helps..." He trailed off, his smile transforming into a sly grin as he scooped Thea up in a big hug and planted a sloppy kiss on her cheek. "Happy New Year."

That seemed to do the trick as it had her giggling in his arms and playfully trying to get him to let go. When he finally did set her back down, she gave him a big smile. "I know, I'm just going to miss you. Is Felicity going to be there tonight at least?" Thea asked casually.

He raised a curious brow at his sister. "Yeah, Tommy told me she said she was planning on coming. Why?"

Thea laced her hands behind her back and shrugged nonchalantly with a big smile. "Hmm no reason! I just don't want you to get in too much trouble, and I know she's the only one who can stop you from doing something stupid." With one last innocent smile, Thea went up on her tip toes and planted her own kiss on Oliver's cheek. "Happy New Year, Ollie!" She quipped before turning around and speeding out of the foyer, but not before one last thing. "Give Felicity a New Year's kiss for me, will ya!" She called with a giggle, disappearing before he could say anything.

Checking his watch, he glanced in the direction his sister had gone with a frown. If he wasn't running late now, he'd go after her and pin her down until she told him why she has been acting so weird lately, and what exactly she meant by that request because it didn't seem entirely innocent. Looks like it was her lucky night. With a shake of his head, he made his way out the door and into the waiting car. As the car took off for it's intended destination, Oliver couldn't help but wonder if Felicity had something to do with Thea's master plan as well, now that he _really_ thought about it. 

 

As the elevator doors to the penthouse opened up, Oliver was greeted with the sight of a packed place, loud music, and tons of flowing alcohol. Making his way through the crowd to deposit his coat in a guest room, he stopped a couple of times to greet a few people he had known back in high school. Eventually, after dodging a few more conversation attempts from several people, Oliver made his way into the kitchen to grab a beer before returning to the crowds to see if Tommy and Felicity had arrived.

Unsurprisingly, during his quick scan of the room, he found Felicity almost immediately. Even in a big crowd, she always stood out. She looked really beautiful tonight – something he'd been noticing about her more often lately – in her simple, yet so her gold dress that made her look like a beacon of light in the dim lighting of the room. Just as he was about to go over to her, the crowd blocking his line of sight shifted slightly and he saw that she was talking to someone already, a guy specifically.

He tightened his fingers around his beer bottle slightly, his lips curling into a tight line and his brow furrowing at the scene before him. He didn't know who she was talking to, but he already didn't like him. The guy was towering over Felicity like he was trapping her in, and the way he so casually touched her bothered him. Even though Felicity looked to be enjoying herself, Oliver didn't like the way the guy was looking at her because he knew that look all too well since he looked at many a girl that way back in his less than savory days.

The final straw was watching the creep stroke her arm affectionately while whispering something in her ear, to which she responded with a classic bubbly Felicity laugh. Something angry flared in his chest and he could no longer resist the urge to go over there and interrupt their cozy conversation. With his mind made up and a determined look on his face, he started in their direction, but didn't take more than two steps until a hand landed on his chest and a friendly face appeared in his vision.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think _your_ nickname was Speedy! Where are you off to in such a hurry that you don't even have time to say hi to your best friend?" Tommy joked with a big grin.

Like a fog being lifted, Oliver blinked a few times at Tommy before finally registering what he was saying. Though whatever had him so upset that he thought it wise to stomp over to Felicity only moments ago waned slightly, he couldn't help his nervous glance over Tommy's shoulder to where Felicity was still engaged in conversation with that guy. "Hey Tommy, I didn't see you there. It's always so crowded at these things. I was just on my way over to say hi to Felicity actually." He said casually.

Tommy nodded in understanding and glanced over his shoulder to where Oliver's eyes had been looking just moments ago. Glancing back to Oliver, he quirked a curious eyebrow. "Who's the guy?"

A small frown reappeared on Oliver's face as his eyes studied the man in question again. "I have no idea. I don't like the way he's looking at her though." Oliver nearly growled which made Tommy's eyes widen slightly at his friend's behavior. Sure they were protective of Felicity, but this seemed... different somehow.

Oliver was about ready to make his way over there again when Tommy put an arm around his shoulder to stop him. "This is going to be funny coming from me since I'm supposed to be the protective big brother, but I'm sure Felicity can handle herself. She's a big girl. She also looks like she's enjoying herself, so why stop her?" Tommy tried to placate. "Why don't we go mingle?" He suggested, trying to gently guide Oliver in another direction.

Glancing at Tommy, he nodded slightly but didn't seem thrilled by the idea. "Yeah... okay." Oliver mumbled. Before they could get too far though, Oliver couldn't help but look back to Felicity one last time. This time, her gaze swung to his as well. The moment her bright blue eyes met his, some of his worry disappeared at her big smile for him and he returned it with a toothy grin of his own before finally being dragged away by Tommy.

 

After a half hour of wandering around with Tommy, his friend had finally went somewhere more private with a girl they had talked to for a while, and suddenly he found himself alone again. With Tommy out of sight, his eyes automatically went in search of Felicity because he hadn't had a chance to talk to her or spend any time with her all night. He had lost sight of her after Tommy dragged him away, and the sinking feeling in his gut at that thought came as a surprise to him. He just hoped she was okay.

In his search for her, he found himself mindlessly wandering around the room until someone grabbed his arm from behind to get his attention. Thinking it was Felicity who had found him first, a big smile came to his face as he spun around to see who it was. His smile faltered slightly. "Laurel." He greeted softly.

She definitely wasn't who he had been expecting, and her presence surprised him because he hadn't really seen her in the crowd in the time he'd been here. Not that he wasn't happy to see her, he just wasn't sure he was ready to deal with her after the long talk they had his parent's Christmas party.

A big grin lit up Laurel's face. "I'm so glad I finally found you, Ollie!" She spoke loudly over the music, leaning in close to make sure Oliver could hear her. "I've been looking for you for a while now."

Oliver sighed softly. She's definitely persistent, but maybe this was a good opportunity to right some wrongs. "I'm glad you caught me too. We talked about a lot of things, but we didn't have a chance to really catch up a few days ago. I'd love to hear about how you've been." He said, trying to steer the topic in a more neutral direction and avoid bringing up the topic of their "relationship". He really did want to know how she'd been, that much as true. It was one of his biggest regrets about their relationship in the past, the way he failed to really take an interest in her well-being. He really had been such an asshole back then.

At their close proximity so they could hear each other over the music, Oliver was looking over her shoulder when caught sight of a flash of a gold dress. Suddenly, like earlier, the crowds seemed to part just enough for their eyes to finally meet. The big smile he intended to give her earlier had returned because he was so happy he'd found her. But again, his smile faltered when he really took her in. Though her face remained neutral, hurt and sadness reflected back at him in those soulful eyes of hers. He shot her a concerned look, trying to silently ask her what was wrong despite the distance between them. Felicity only stared at him, still lost in her pain.

Oliver was about to tell Laurel he'd be back later, but before he could do anything Felicity finally reacted. Her eyes widened in a panic and she quickly spun on her heel only to meld into the crowd once again. That only made him more concerned, however. He was more determined than ever to go after Felicity; he just had to make sure she was okay before she could get too far away.

Of course, Laurel had other plans for him. Suddenly her face appeared in front of his, successfully blocking Felicity's retreating form from view. Her determined eyes sought his distracted ones and Laurel brought one hand up to his jaw, the other playfully tracing his chest. "I couldn't agree more. Why don't we go talk some more in the spare bedroom." She purred, trying to lean in for a kiss.

Tonight was apparently not his night. Before her lips could touch his, Oliver gripped her shoulders gently and pushed her away while taking a small step back himself. He closed his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. "What are you doing?"

Laurel looked up at him, equal parts confused and put out. "I thought that was you telling me you were ready to trying again, like we discussed..." She explained petulantly, trying to give him her best puppy dog eyes now.

Running a frustrated hand through his hair, he shook his head solemnly at her. "Laurel, I'm not saying never, but just not right now. I meant it when I said I wanted to talk. If we're going to try again, I need to prove to myself that I can be a better boyfriend this time around. I was serious when I said I needed time to think about getting back together with you. It's nothing you've done, it's all me. I was the asshole last time, and I don't want to be that guy again with you."

Laurel gave him a coy smile and shifted a little closer to him again, laying a gentle hand on his chest. "Ollie, I trust you. I can tell that you've really matured and I know you won't hurt me again. Let's just get out of here, so we can discuss this..."

"Laurel, I'm serious. I want to get to know you again, so if you want to talk we can. Otherwise, I still need more time." He interrupted, gently removing her hand from his chest. Though his voice was firm, his eyes were soft and pleading with her. He wanted to do this the right way, and he hoped she would understand that.

Sensing there was nothing more to say tonight, she frowned sadly and tugged her hand from his. "I'll call you sometime then. Happy New Year, Ollie." She relented dejectedly before quickly turning around and disappearing into the crowd.

Watching Laurel walk away, Oliver pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed deeply. He hated to hurt her feelings, but he couldn't help that he still wasn't sure if he even wanted to resume their relationship. He just hoped that, looking back, she'd understand where he was coming from. He didn't want to dwell on that though because he had more important things to do.

He needed to find Felicity. When she found him in the middle of his conversation with Laurel she had looked so upset, so he needed to go to her to see if she was okay. Maybe there's a guy she needs him to beat up. Quickly putting the last few minutes with Laurel behind him, Oliver headed off in the direction he had seen Felicity disappear in with a purpose in his steps.

It took him a while, mostly because he was struggling to push through crowds of increasingly drunk people, but eventually he found her in the crowded kitchen, perched on the island while throwing back a shot of some hard alcohol. Based on the slight redness staining her cheeks and the slight swaying of her body when she righted herself after taking that shot, Oliver could tell she must already be pretty drunk. Maybe it was nothing, but something about how drunk she was seemed off to him. Usually he wouldn't be worried, or might have even found this funny that she was really drunk and he wasn't. Since she had looked pretty upset not too long ago, he felt a slight anxiousness bubble up inside him.

Without another thought, he made his way to Felicity, not hesitating to push anyone out of his way to get to her. Shoving through the last few people in his path, he finally stepped up in front of Felicity with a slightly concerned look on his face. "Hey." He spoke softly, but still loud enough so she could hear him over the noise. Because of how packed the space was around them, he was so close that her knees brushed his stomach and her dangling feet were forced to rest between his legs.

At the contact, her eyes finally snapped to his and widened slightly in recognition of his presence. "Oh! Ol'ver!" She grinned, her eyes nearly crinkling shut her grin was so wide. Without warning, her grin fell into small frown. "I thought you were with Laurel?" She more stated than asked, and Oliver noted that the hint of sadness had returned to her usually bright eyes.

He shook his head at her. "Nope. I'm here now. Sorry it took me so long to come see you tonight." He expressed, frowning more at himself than at her. Not only was he mad at himself for taking more than an hour to catch her tonight, but he hated that he hadn't been there for her when she was so upset earlier.

In a slightly surprising move, Felicity's fingertips of her right hand gently brushed over his furrowed brow, around the curve of his face and finally along his smooth jawline as if trying to smooth out the lines of frustration on his face. It worked because he felt the tension in his face instantly evaporate, only to be replaced with a lazy smile for her. "Mmm, s'okay. Worth waiting for." She slurred, her lips curling into a smile to match his as they just stood there in their own little bubble for a minute.

What brought Oliver back to reality was the recognition of Felicity's slurred words, which revived his earlier concern for her sobriety levels. She _definitely_ had too much to drink tonight and he needed to get her out of here. Knowing Tommy was probably still off with that girl from earlier, it was up to Oliver to take care of Felicity - something he had no problem doing. To get her to focus on him again, he placed a light hand on her thigh just above her knee. "Felicity," He began gently, "How about I take you home?"

For a second, he thought she wasn't paying attention because a huge red blush crept over her cheeks and her eyes widened slightly. "I totally imagined you saying that under very different circumstances." She mumbled, mostly to herself, but Oliver managed to catch it despite the swelling noise of the crowd around them. He smiled at how nonexistent her brain-to-mouth filter was right now. Though part of him was amused by his companion, another part flickered to life at what she was suggesting. Not that he hadn't ever thought about that with her, but the way his body seemed to so viscerally react to the suggestion now surprised him. Now is not the time for that particular reaction.

Suddenly though, she looked panicked and he wasn't sure if it was at the realization that she had just said that out loud or at his suggestion that they leave. "No! Stay. Don't leave for me."

Even drunk, Felicity still put other's needs above her own. He pinched his lips together and raised a brow at her to indicate he wasn’t having any of that. "I can make my own decisions, Felicity. I'd rather make sure you're okay than stay here and be bored out of my mind."

The naked surprise in her eyes at his choice hurt a little. A year ago, he would have let it get to him, but now he was determined to make her understand that she really mattered to him. He held her gaze, trying his hardest to reflect the conviction of his choice in his eyes. Apparently it worked because she gave him a weak smile and nodded her consent, to which he blew out a sigh of relief. "Okay, put your hands here..." He instructed, taking her hands in his and placing them on his chest near his collarbone for balance. Giving her a reassuring smile, telling her to trust him, he placed his hands firmly on her waist and essentially lifted her off the island. In surprise at the sudden movement, her hands clung desperately to his shirt, and even for a few seconds after her feet landed safely on the ground.

To make sure she had her feet under her, Oliver still gripped her waist tightly in his hands, his exposed forearms flexing deliciously as he held her steady. He watched her eyes flicker down to his taught forearms, and his own flickered to her lips. They were so close, and he thought it poetic that they were in nearly the same position that they had been in New Year's Eve two years ago. Suddenly her hands that had been previously gripping his shirt were now completely flat against his chest and she slowly began to trace her curious hands out over his shoulders and down his arms. When her fingers reached his bare skin, she gently curled her hands around his huge forearms and let out a shaky breath. His skin tingled under the gentle explorative feel of her touch.

Not moments later, when he caught himself slowly leaning in, did he realized what was happening. Clearing his throat, he shifted away from her to put plenty of space between them, making sure she was stable on her feet before finally releasing her hips from his hands. Under different circumstances, he would want to try that New Year's kiss again, to see if he hadn't hallucinated it all those years ago. But, with Felicity as drunk as she was, he would never do something like that while she wasn't fully aware of what might be happening. He almost second guessed his decision though when her face fell slightly the moment he stepped away. He hated that he caused that hurt.

To try and provide some comfort, no matter how small, he reached out and took her hand in his, lacing their fingers together affectionately like they used to do. Her eyes glanced at their hands at first before slowly coming up to his eyes. She gave him a tiny smile, and even though it wasn't the bubbly one he was used to, he was at least happy she was smiling even a little. "C'mon. Let's get you home, Felicity." He said gently before making his way to the elevator, keeping her hand firmly in his so he wouldn't lose her.

After collecting their things and making it to the elevator, when the doors finally closed he leaned against the wall of the elevator and she leaned on his left shoulder sleepily with their hands still firmly clasped together, the drowsiness of the alcohol finally getting to her. "I've never seen you this drunk before. It's kind of funny." Oliver observed as he looked down at her sleepy face, her eyes struggling to stay open.

With what little energy she had left, she glared up at him, though it came off more adorable than terrifying. It only made Oliver smile at how cute she was right then. "This is generally what happens when you drink a lot, dummy." She sassed with a wry grin before cuddling into his shoulder a bit more.

He was just about to ask her why she had so much to drink tonight when the elevator doors opened to the lobby of the building. Luckily his driver was parked nearby, so it was only five minutes from when Oliver texted him to when the black personal limo pulled up in front of the building. It wasn't a moment too soon either because he was pretty sure Felicity was about to fall asleep standing up. The second she slid into the backseat of the car after him, she was asleep on his shoulder and cuddling his arm again. Once she was settled, he gave his driver instructions to Merlyn manor and shot Tommy a text that he was taking care of Felicity before finally relaxing into the seat with a soft grin that stayed on his face for the duration of their trip.

As soon as they pulled up in front of the familiar Gothic style manor, Oliver gently woke Felicity who groaned loudly in protest. Opening his door on the left side of the car, he told his driver to wait for him and that he wouldn't be too long before sprinting around to Felicity's side. Pulling her door open, he paused to ponder the best way to get her inside. With a shrug at the idea he finally settled on, he turned around and squatted down so his back was facing her. "Hop on." He instructed.

When he didn't feel her moving behind him, he glanced over his shoulder to see the puzzled look she was giving him. He laughed softly at her adorably sleepy, deer in the headlights look. "I'm going to carry you in. Just get on and trust me."

Though she still seemed a bit confused, most likely due to how sleepy she was, she slowly slid towards him, wrapped her arms firmly around his neck and legs around his waist. Oliver slid his hands under her thighs for support, forcing himself to ignore just how soft her skin is. When he was sure she was stable he rose up to his full height and shut the car door behind him. Almost instantly, Felicity relaxed against him and molded herself around his body. On his way into the house and up to her room, he felt her nuzzle into his neck and sigh against his sensitive skin there. "So strong... perfect... m'Oliver..." She mumbled sleepily into his neck.

The tenderness and contentment behind her mumbled words touched him, and it was like a weight was lifted off his shoulders. Though she was sleepy and definitely still drunk, he was glad that she trusted him like this again. And to think he'd been so worried only a few hours ago that something was still bothering her.

Making his way carefully through the quiet house, he instinctively made his way to her room. Removing one hand from her thigh, he quietly opened and closed her door behind himself. Flicking the lights on first upon entering, he then gingerly removed her high heels and tossed them on the ground before kneeling down, letting her slowly slide off his back. Coming back up to his full height, he turned around to face her and saw that she was still half asleep. With a soft laugh, he shook his head in amusement, placed his hands on her arms and gently spun her around so her back was facing him. Gently sweeping her soft curls to one side, he went to reach for the zipper of her dress to help undress her since she seemed too tired to do so herself.

Like a switch being flipped, just before he could pull on the zipper at all Felicity twisted in his arms and backed away from him with a panicked look in her eyes. _Oh no, she must think..._ , he panicked internally, hoping he didn't just ruin all the progress he'd made with her as friends in the last few weeks and months. "Felicity, I'm so sorry. You just seemed so tired, and I just wanted to give you a hand since you looked like you were about to pass out on me again. I didn't mean to frighten you." He rambled nervously, holding his hands up in front of himself.

She looked like she was shaking slightly, and he felt his heart twist painfully at seeing her so spooked by his entirely innocent actions. "Please, Felicity... I didn't mean anything untoward by it." He tried again, his voice shaking slightly at the fear of her pulling away from him again at yet another one of his mistakes. He just couldn't lose her again.

Whatever he said or did, it seemed to work because her eyes found his panicked ones and he watched the panic slowly fade from her's as her body relaxed slightly. She laughed tentatively and shook her head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to freak you out either. Can't blame a girl for getting nervous about undressing in front of her best friend." She joked, trying to ease some of the tension in the room. "Especially when they're as attractive as you are..." She mumbled under her breath, her eyes roving his figure briefly.

A broad grin spread over his face and his chest puffed out slightly with pride. Clearly that was meant to be an internal thought, but her lack of filter tonight had struck again. When Felicity finally caught onto his cheeky grin and realized what the cause was, her cheeks flushed deep red for the second time tonight. Only Felicity could easily clear the tension in a room with one well-timed verbal slip. "I'm never going to outgrow that habit, am I?" She asked sarcastically in a meek voice, still very embarrassed that he'd heard her. To distract herself and hide her embarrassment, Felicity quickly went over to her dresser and plucked out some pjs before disappearing into the bathroom with a mumbled "Be right back."

Looking over to her bedside clock, he noticed that it was almost midnight. He was surprised that it was still so early because he felt like he'd had such a long night already. Something else on her nightstand caught his eye though. There was a picture laying face down next to the lamp there. The fact that it was face down was definitely odd, but what made him really curious is that he recognized the frame. Pulling his features into a thoughtful frown, he slowly made his way over to her bedside table. He knew he shouldn't look, but his curiosity got the better of him. He had to know why it looked so familiar. His hand hesitated over the picture before he gently picked it up and flipped it over.

His frown only deepened. It was Felicity's copy of the Christmas Market photo. Why was it face down though? Maybe she just knocked it over at some point and forgot to put it back up. Taking a second to ponder the photo while he was at it, he focused in on him and Felicity and scrunched his face up in concentration. They clearly looked like a pair of close friends, but... there was something else there that he hadn't really noticed before. He couldn't put his finger on it, but maybe he wasn't supposed to. It was like some undefinable connection existed between them, and somehow this photo managed to capture the briefest glimpse of it.

Before he could dwell on it further, he heard Felicity beginning to open the door so he hastily placed the picture face down on the desk again. He turned around to see her reappear in a dark green and blue flannel pajama set, sans her glasses, her face free of makeup, and her hair tied back in a messy bun. He couldn't help but smile at how comfortable she looked, and how young. Sometimes he forgot that she was only eighteen. She slowly walked up to him, stopping before she really got too close though.

"Are you going to be okay?" Oliver asked quietly, his eyes roaming her face in his own personal inspection. She definitely seemed to have sobered up quite a bit, so he could take some measure of comfort in that fact.

She nodded up at him with a smile. "Yeah, I think I'll live. Thank you for taking care of me tonight. It means a lot to me." She said, placing a tentative but warm hand on his arm.

His eyes flickered down to her hand with a grin before flicking over to her alarm clock again, his features suddenly softening. Just after midnight. His eyes, so blue and full of his affection for his best friend, met Felicity's currently blue-grey eyes. "Anytime. You know you can always count on me." He whispered quietly into the space between them. Without hesitation, he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her cheek, letting his lips linger slightly on the soft skin there. "Happy New Year, Felicity." He breathed into her ear before pulling away.

Looking back into her suddenly dark blue eyes, she looked to be contemplating something, but it seemed like she decided against it at the last minute. "Happy New Year, Oliver." She responded breathlessly through her slightly parted lips.

His eyes searched her face one last time to make sure he would be okay leaving because suddenly she seemed really flushed. Figuring it was just a brief event, he gave her a parting smile before slowly making his way to her door, leaving Felicity still rooted to her spot. With his hand on the door knob, he looked over his shoulder. "I'll text you tomorrow to see how you're doing." He stated which only earned a small, distracted nod from her. "Night, Felicity."

With that, he quietly shut the door behind himself, leaving behind a very hot and bothered and confused Felicity who was still staring at the door, and made his way down to the car still waiting for him outside the Merlyn manor.

By the time he finally got home and slipped under his covers nearly an hour later, Oliver was surprised that sleep evaded him after such an eventful night. Instead, he found himself on his side absentmindedly observing the photo on his bedside table once again, his mind turning over the image in front of him and the events of the past two weeks for quite a while.

When he saw her that day for the first time since her 18th birthday, there was something different about her. She seemed to practically glow, and it was like he was drawn to that glow. Then the way she looked at him, smiled just for him, and that lingering hug... it all felt different. Good different. Then there was the Christmas party. She was so beautiful that night he couldn't keep his eyes off of her even if he tried. He remembered the distinct sensation of her warm skin under his hand when she went on that adorable babble of hers. Looking back on tonight, he recalled the multitude of small touches he shared with her and the way his body seemed to react to her presence and those touches. All those small details seemed so important, but why...

As if on cue, his eyes drifted down to his bare stomach and over to his soulmark. With a thoughtful stare, his mind suddenly put the pieces together. What if... maybe... just maybe Felicity was his soulmate.

His heart raced excitedly at the thought. It all made sense: she just turned 18, lately he felt drawn to her in a more intense way than ever before, and he was sure she sensed it too. But, Felicity knew what his mark looked like, so surely she had to know if they were soulmates. She had been home for two weeks now, and had ample opportunities to tell him if that were true, but she'd never brought up her new soulmark once. She would tell him if it were him... right? Looking back at everything, her silence on the matter had to mean it wasn't him. As quickly as his hope at the prospect had bloomed, that brief spark of hope was quickly snuffed out at his conclusion.

Analyzing everything over and over again until he came to no other conclusion but that he couldn't possibly be her soulmate (he had to believe she would have told him), he eventually drifted off to sleep only to find that his thoughts of Felicity followed him into his dreams that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully that exploration of Oliver's side of things was everything you guys hoped for and more!
> 
> As always, I love to hear your thoughts and questions, so please don't hesitate to leave a comment :)


	10. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, the next chapter is finally here! And for your wait, you're getting what I think is my longest chapter to date. As always, thank you so much for the love on the previous chapter, it really means a lot to me.
> 
> I won't say too much about this chapter other than A LOT happens. So buckle up, strap in, put the handle bars down, etc. because it's going to be wild.

An eager knock sounded loudly at her door which pulled Felicity's gaze away from her reflection. "Felicity! Hurry up, we're all ready to go!" Thea called eagerly through the closed door, followed by her loud footfalls as she ran downstairs to the main level of the cabin.

Biting her lip nervously, Felicity glanced back at her reflection one last time to eye her two piece swimsuit with trepidation. Going over to her dresser, she pulled out a white Starling City Archers baseball shirt to cover up the top half of her body. Throwing it on quickly and sliding her feet into her flip flops, she grabbed her tote and reluctantly made her way downstairs to meet up with Tommy, Thea, and Oliver to head down to the lake.

After a long summer where Tommy and Felicity slaved away at Merlyn Global and Oliver at QC, their parents all thought it'd be nice to take a trip up to the shared cabin for a relaxing long-weekend before they all had to go back to school. Most of Felicity's summer, up until about a week ago, had been spent focusing on her work at Merlyn Global, despite Tommy's constant interruptions and attempts to get her to loosen up and have some fun with him. What it meant was that she had barely spent any time with Oliver either. She had seen him a few times, usually while Tommy and/or Thea were also around, but most of the time Oliver had been busy too with his own work at QC, among other things...

You know what else it meant: she still hadn't told him about her mark. After her alcohol induced display of affection with him on New Year' Eve, Oliver left a few days later to return to Princeton for his finals, leaving Felicity without a chance to talk to him. She almost told him that night, and looking back she should have. He had been so caring and sweet that night, and her inebriated brain was so ready to take the leap and trust him. But, she just couldn't bring herself to do it. She hesitated just long enough for all of her doubts and worries to creep up in the back of her mind, and she just let him walk out of her room that night without another word.

She remembered the conversation she had with Caitlin the moment they were reunited for Spring semester. Caitlin had ambushed Felicity the minute she set her bags down in the room and gave her such a hopeful look when she asked about Oliver that it broke Felicity's heart. The minute Felicity revealed that she hadn't told him, Caitlin had gotten really worried, and rightfully so. Logically, Felicity knew she shouldn't wait so long to tell him - Caitlin didn't hesitate to reminded her of that fact -, but she definitely didn't want to tell him over the phone, especially when she had a chance to do it in person. So, Felicity decided to wait for the right moment to tell him in person this summer. But of course there's no right moment for a conversation like that.

Every time Felicity felt ready to tell Oliver over the summer, she'd see some gossip column link him to another girl in Starling. So, she waited and watched him date girl after girl. With each new girl he dated it reminded her that he could never see her as more than his best friend, and it reminded her of how easily she could get hurt even if she did tell him. Eventually, Felicity became tired, so tired of getting her hopes up when she felt ready to tell him, only to be hurt and disappointed every time with each new girl he dated. After repeating the cycle one too many times, Felicity eventually realized it had to be a sign: she just wasn't supposed to tell him. His casual dating lifestyle seemed to indicate that he wasn't ready to find his soulmate, but rather wanted to enjoy his freedom a while longer. So, here she was - almost a year since receiving her mark - more confident than ever that telling Oliver would only lead to her getting hurt, and was still forced to tip toe around him as a result.

Reaching the living room of the cabin, Felicity saw Tommy, Thea and Oliver huddled together and their parents lounging on the couches together. Looks like the parents were going to enjoy some adult time while they were at the lake. "Finally! Who knew you'd be the diva that we all had to wait on." Tommy joked with a playful smirk when they all finally noticed that Felicity had arrived.

Felicity rolled her eyes and playfully stuck her tongue out at Tommy on her way over to join their little circle. "Rude. I misplaced my sunglasses, if you must know." She offered as her excuse with a nonchalant shrug. "Now that that's settled, let's get going before we waste all of our daylight."

At the mention of leaving, Thea clapped her hands together excitedly, grinning widely and pulled a typical Speedy by quickly running for the back door of the cabin that lead to the walkway to the lake. The rest of them bid hurried goodbyes to their parents before gathering up their supplies for the day and following after Thea.

After a pleasant walk down the path behind the cabin, the trees opened up to reveal a gorgeous blue lake nestled among the beautiful Evergreen trees and picturesque mountains. A ghost of a smile curved her lips slightly as Felicity took in the sight around herself. "Beautiful, isn't it?" Oliver asked quietly from her right.

Making their way down their private dock jutting out over the lake, Felicity looked up at Oliver who had been looking at her. "Mmhmm, it really is." She replied just as quietly before glancing back out over the lake.

Thea, who had gotten there a bit before them in her excitement, was already setting up her towel and already hastily removing her outer layer of clothing by the time they got there. "I felt the water, and the temperature is perfect guys! This is going to be so much fun." She nearly squealed with a big smile.

Next to her, Oliver shook his head with a smile. "This'll be fun as long as you remember to stay close to the dock, okay Thea? You know the rules." He reminded her gently, setting down the cooler he had been carrying that had some snacks and a few drinks for them since they planned on spending the entire afternoon here.

Thea pouted and crossed her arms. "I'm not a kid anymore, I don't need you babysitting me Ollie."

Tommy chuckled boisterously while laying out his own towel next to Thea's and depositing some of his belongings next to it. "Thea, I think that pout on your face says otherwise."

Her pout only deepened. "Oh, you're so getting the splash fight of the decade when we get into the lake Merlyn." She threatened, but when combined with her adorable pout it didn't hold any weight and only made everyone chuckle.

With a devilish grin Tommy wiggled his eyebrows at Thea. "Oh, you're on Queen." He retorted. "Race you into the lake." He called, though he had already taken off sprinting down the length of the dock. In a panic, Thea sprinted after him and they both did massive leaps into the lake with excited screams.

Felicity, who had been setting up her own stuff during the whole exchange, rolled her eyes and laughed at the pair. "Tommy's never going to grow up, is he?" She asked as she pulled out her sunglasses and a maroon MIT baseball cap, donning both.

Oliver watched the pair in question with a mirthful gaze and shook his head. "Nope, never. And I wouldn't expect any less to be honest." He grinned at her before pulling off his shirt in preparation for joining Tommy and Thea in the lake.

Any other time, Felicity would have stared unabashedly at his toned physique behind the safety of her sunglasses. Instead, Felicity glanced at their mark on his stomach and looked away quickly, flinching slightly at the way it tugged at her heart. To distract herself from the sight, she quickly busied herself by digging through her bag for her sunscreen.

Unaware of the sudden shift in Felicity's mood, Oliver beckoned for her to follow after he deposited his stuff on his towel. "Come on, let's go after those goons before they have too much fun without us." He suggested before turning to walking down to the end of the dock.

Biting her lip, Felicity didn't move to follow him. Oliver seemed to realize she wasn't following because after a few steps he turned around with a worried look. "You're not coming?" He asked in confusion.

She shook her head at him and distracted herself by applying some sunscreen so she wouldn't have to look at him. "Not right now. I'm just going to read and work on my non-existent tan. Maybe I'll come in later." She offered, trying her best to keep her tone light by laughing at her non-existent tan joke. Going swimming meant taking off her shirt and exposing her mark, something she wasn't ready to do. Earlier this morning, she almost decided on feigning being under the weather to avoid this very conundrum, but she figured it would be less suspicious if she came with them anyways and just didn't swim.

She could feel his gaze linger on her for a beat before he seemed to relent. "All right, but I'm holding you to that. Also, don't be surprised if Thea gets upset that you aren't joining us." He joked softly before turning and going to join Tommy and Thea in the lake.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Felicity let out the breath she'd been holding and let her shoulders relax slightly. Reaching into her bag for the book she'd brought with herself, she got as comfortable as she could despite the heavy weight of her lie weighing her down. 

 

Felicity was surprised how long it took for any of them (read: Tommy and Thea) to get frustrated by the fact that she kept dodging getting into the lake with them. It had taken about two hours, during which the other three alternated between chasing each other around in the lake and lounging around on the dock with her for a snack break. Felicity, during that time, had busied herself by either reading her book or absentmindedly watching them while the other's were in the lake, and then spent her time talking about everything and nothing with her friends when they joined her on the dock.

The sun was starting to set now, casting a beautiful yellow-orange glow over the lake, meaning they only had about a half hour until they probably needed to head back to the cabin for dinner. "Felicity, come on, you have to come into the lake at least once today. I insist. It's not the same without you to team up with against Tommy and Ollie." Thea pressed, using her classic puppy dog eyes on Felicity.

Felicity felt a pull at her heart at Thea's plea, but shook her head solemnly. "I'm sorry, Thea. I don't think I'm going to come in today. I promise I'll come in if we come back down here tomorrow." She offered, trying to placate the young girl even though of course she had no intention of ever getting in the lake.

At Felicity's attempted promise, Thea pursed her lips. "Fine... but only because you promised." Thea pouted, giving Felicity a pointed look to indicate that she was going to hold her to said promise. With the issue seemingly let go for the moment, Thea made her way to the end of the dock before diving in to get her last swim in of the day.

Though the boys looked ready to join Thea in the lake one final time, Oliver and Tommy both paused to eye her, clearly confused as to why she had yet to join them as well. "You promised me you'd join us later, and it's definitely later." Oliver pointed out with a knowing look.

Felicity shrugged her shoulders, trying to play off her resistance to swimming. "What can I say, this is a really good book. Honestly though, I'm really just enjoying lounging about today. This is the first time this summer I've really had a chance to relax." She lied easily, trying to play it off with a weak laugh and smile.

Oliver pursed his lips slightly, but eventually nodded in acceptance of her explanation. "I don't blame you. It's been a long summer, and it's nice to finally have some time to really relax. Just as long as you're okay." He checked with one last look of concern. Felicity nodded that she was okay with a smile for him. Holding her gaze for a moment, he eventually returned her smile before running after Thea and cannonballing into the lake, leaving Felicity to face Tommy's inquisition.

At the positively evil glint in Tommy's eyes, Felicity knew this wasn't going to be good and that he wasn't going to be swayed as easily as the Queen siblings. He came over to her and held out a hand. "Even if you won't come swim with us, at least come sit at the end of the dock and hang with us. It's no fun if you're so far away." He suggested.

Felicity didn't know what he was up to, but she'd play along. And, he did have a point. Though she refused to swim, she wouldn't mind more actively interacting with them while they were all in the lake this time around, so it was a great compromise. Taking Tommy's hand after setting her things down, she let him pull her up onto her feet. "I guess I could do that." She relented with a hint of playful resistance.

The moment she was on her feet though, Tommy's previously easy smile morphed into a devilish grin to match the look in his eyes. Panic flooded Felicity at that look. She had fallen right into his trap. Before she knew what was happening, Tommy had lifted her off his feet, thrown her over his shoulder, and was now heading for the edge of the dock. He was going to throw her into the lake. "Tommy Merlyn. I swear, if you throw me in the lake, I'll tell Malcolm every illegal thing you've ever done. I'll castrate you. I'll make sure you can never get a girl again!" She threatened, twisting wildly against his strong grip, doing anything she could to prevent her impending doom.

"Tommy! Tommy! Tommy!" She heard being chanted by Oliver and Thea from the lake.

"Don't you dare encourage him! Tommy, one more time. Put. Me. Down!" She nearly screamed, still trying to fight her way out of his arms.

She heard his amused laughter from behind her and saw that they were at the edge of the dock. "Sorry Felicity. I'll take my chances. You'll thank me later." He laughed out.

Next thing she knew, she felt Tommy heave her small frame into the air. Panic flooded her face, her heart thudding loudly in her chest and the blood rushing in her ears drowned out the world around her. Tommy had no idea what he just set into motion. Closing her eyes, she braced for impact – literally and figuratively.

Pulling herself up to the surface, she was still fairly disoriented when she finally reached the top. Sputtering out some water she had accidentally swallowed and using her hands to quickly clear the water and stray hairs from her face, she eventually opened her eyes and looked around frantically for the others. Their amused laughter from behind her made her blood run cold. She quickly spun herself around in the water to face them, her eyes quickly seeking out Oliver. Maybe he hadn't seen anything.

Though she absentmindedly noted that Tommy and Thea were cackling together, probably at the terrified look she had on her face, she certainly noticed that Oliver wasn't laughing. He wasn't even smiling. He was just staring at her, his face devoid of all emotion. No... he looked like he had seen a ghost, or like he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. There was no doubt: he had to have glimpsed it then. His look said it all. Though the water was covering most of her body, with her white shirt now translucent he would have seen just enough to know that their marks were similar. Her pleading eyes sought his, attempting to reach him, apologize to him, anything that might make this easier. When he didn't react, still seemingly frozen in shock, Felicity panicked. She needed to get out of there, especially while Tommy and Thea were still distracted. She didn't feel like having everyone witness a very public panic attack, nor did she feel like showing her mark to the whole world and involving Tommy and Thea in something that was between her and Oliver for now.

With one last deeply apologetic look for Oliver, Felicity quickly turned and made her way over to the ladder on the side of the dock and hauled herself out of the lake while she was sure Tommy and Thea were still distracted. Knowing her translucent white shirt wasn't hiding anything now, she quickly grabbed up her towel and wrapped it around her shoulders for some semblance of protection. As she was hastily gathering her things up to return to the house, she heard someone coming up to her. Panic flooded her, thinking it was probably Oliver, making her freeze instantly. She wasn't ready to face him yet.

"Felicity, hey. I'm sorry, you know I didn't mean to make you so upset. I just wanted you to have fun." Tommy fretted, placing a light hand on her shoulder.

She flinched away from him, protectively hugging the towel closer to her body with one hand and gripping her fully packed tote tightly with the other. "Look, Tommy, it's fine. Let's just forget about it. I just want to go back to the house, okay?" She hurriedly explained, silently pleading with him to just let her go.

Tommy looked so sad and so pained, thinking she was upset at the stunt he pulled when in reality it was the last thing on her mind. "Please, Felicity, stay. I'm so sorry." He begged.

Slowly backing away, she flashed a weak smile at him. "Really Tommy, it's okay. Don't worry about me. I'll see you guys soon for dinner." She offered quickly. Not daring to look in Oliver's direction, without looking back she turned around and hurried up to the cabin and back the safety of her room. 

 

To say that dinner was tense that night was the understatement of the century. Oliver and Felicity avoided eye contact with each other throughout the entirety of dinner and were both suspiciously silent. Poor Tommy was distraught as well because he thought he was the reason Felicity was so upset, and kept subtly trying to get Felicity's attention to silently apologize. Thea, bless her soul, was confused and didn't quite understand what was going, so she just spent dinner silently observing Tommy, Felicity and Oliver with concern. The overall effect was a very solemn, quiet dinner with a lot of strange looks from Robert, Moira, Donna and Malcolm. To their parents' credit, they did their best to distract from whatever was going on by keeping up the conversation, occasionally drawing responses from the kids when prompted. Their stilted responses didn't help matters though, meaning any attempted conversation was awkward and clunky. So yeah, dinner was weird to say the least.

As soon as she had the chance, Felicity quickly excused herself and made her way up to the safety of her room again. The second the door shut behind her, she walked over to her bed and flopped down on her back, her eyes staring blankly at the vaulted ceiling above her. Before she could really lose herself in her thoughts, a light knock sounded at her door, making her heart stutter. "Felicity, sweetie?" Her mom's soft voice called through the thick wooden door.

Felicity breathed out heavily when she heard her mom's voice and not Oliver's. She didn't know whether she was grateful or disappointed. Maybe it was good that her mom had come to her. No doubt she was worried about Felicity's sudden shift in behavior at dinner and wanted to chat, and Felicity knew she could use some mom wisdom right about now. "Come in." Felicity tiredly called out, keeping her gaze fixed on the ceiling.

She heard the door open and close softly, and a few seconds later Donna's weight settled onto the bed next to her. A loving hand came up and brushed her brunette locks softly. "What happened between you and Oliver?" She inquired gently, cutting straight to the chase.

Felicity's eyes widened and she finally looked into her mom's concerned yet knowing gaze. Though Donna was generally bubbly and ditsy, she was certainly too observant when she wanted to be. "I don't know what you mean."

Donna gave her a soft reproachful look, still gently caressing Felicity's hair in a gesture of comfort. "It's him, isn't it?" She asked cryptically. Felicity knew exactly what she was talking about.

Looking away in embarrassment, a few tears prickled at the corner of her eyes as she gave a weak nod, her voice failing her. Donna's face softened into a mixture of worry and concern for her daughter. "Oh sweetie. How long have you known?"

Felicity sucked in a few shaky breaths, gathering her strength for this conversation. "Since the day I got my mark." She answered. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Donna's surprised and confused look at her response, but she said nothing of it as she waited for Felicity to continue on her own time. "I never told him." She eventually supplied, which only made Donna more confused.

"Did something happen today? You guys seemed okay when you left earlier." Donna asked tenderly, trying to get Felicity to open up and talk while making sure she wasn't pressing the issue too hard.

Felicity bit her lip as her eyes watered more. She nodded, but didn't elaborate immediately. "I think he knows. I think he saw it while we were at the lake." She croaked out before falling silent for a beat, pondering what else to say.

Donna watched Felicity for a moment before trying again. "But... you didn't want him to know?"

Felicity's brow crinkled. "No. Yes. I... I don't know. All I know is that I didn't want him to find out like this." She fumbled, reflecting her own inner turmoil over the issue at hand. "I'm so confused." She whimpered softly, finally looking up at her mom, her eyes pleading for the guidance and support only she could provide.

At the desperation in Felicity's eyes, Donna nearly teared up herself. She gently cupped Felicity's cheek, brushing away a stray tear that had fallen. "I'm not going to ask why, that's something you need to work through with him." She started, pausing for thought briefly before continuing. "I know this seems scary, but that boy already loves you, whether he knows it or not. This isn't going to be easy, working through whatever has been holding you back, but have faith in your connection – not just as soulmates but as friends."

Felicity listened with wide, scared eyes, absorbing everything her mom was saying. Though Felicity was clearly terrified about the future, it astounded her how positive her mom was about it all. Maybe it was just her mom being a mom, but Donna really seemed to believe that they could work through this. But, something about that struck her as odd. "How can you tell me to trust in my connection when your's with Dad didn't last?"

Donna shook her head with a small, almost amused smile. "Because, you and Oliver are nothing like your father and me." She stated with finality and leaving no room for argument, as if it were really that simple. It shook Felicity to her core, stunning her into silence.

"Are you going to be okay, sweetie?" Donna asked after a minute. Felicity nodded tentatively, slowly sitting up finally. Donna gave her a smile and pulled Felicity into a tight hug. "I love you sweetie, and I know this will all work out for the best." She cooed into Felicity's ear while soothingly rubbing Felicity's back. As she clung onto her mom, for a moment Felicity felt like she was ten again and transported back to the moment she was told everything was going to be all right when her mom broke the news about marrying Malcolm. Her mom was right that time, so Felicity hoped she was right now too.

Donna held Felicity like that for a few minutes, letting Felicity pour her worries and doubts into their hug. When it seemed Felicity had nothing more to give, Donna slowly released her but not before pressing a brief kiss to her forehead. Before exiting the room, Donna turned to Felicity to give one last piece of advice. "Give him time. Remember what it was like when you found out. Don't be scared if he needs to process, especially given the circumstances of the reveal. He'll come to you eventually, I promise." With that, she gave Felicity one last loving smile before leaving Felicity to her thoughts.

Staring unseeing out into the open expanse of her room, Felicity's mind turning over all the wisdom her mom had just laid on her. She sat like that for quite sometime before eventually forcing herself to clean up for bed, even though she had no intention of sleeping for quite a while. Long after she plunged her room into darkness and burrowed herself protectively under her covers, Felicity just lay there revisiting every decision she had made in the last nine months when it came to Oliver and their soulmate connection, trying to figure out what she should have done differently. 

 

Oliver never came to her that night.

Nor did he seek her out the next morning. She didn't blame him for taking his time, but his utter silence was slowly killing her. As the day progressed, she became more and more fearful that he didn't want anything to do with her anymore. She barely saw him, and when he was around he still wasn't really present. He just brooded silently, never really looking at anyone, his brows pulled into a permanently thoughtful frown.

They were all set to leave tomorrow evening to drive back to Starling, and as night fell on the second day Felicity began to resign herself to the fate she knew only she brought upon herself by not telling him when she had a chance. Not only would they go their separate ways when they went back to Starling, but she knew Oliver was taking one last trip on the Gambit with his father in one week's time. If they left tomorrow without talking at all, she feared she'd lose him forever.

Just as she was about to settle in for what she knew was going to be another sleepless night, a hesitant knock sounded at her door. She froze, her hand hovering over the switch on her bedside lamp.

He had come.

In shock, she sat there for another minute until a second, more determined knock sounded out in her room and jump started her brain again. "Felicity?" He called softly, but she could hear the pain in his voice too.

Jumping up from her bed and crossing her room in a few long strides, she knew she needed to open that door and let him in soon because this might be her only chance. With only the slightest hesitation, pausing to gather herself for the coming storm, she quietly opened the door.

Looming in her doorway was a thoroughly disheveled and exhausted Oliver Queen. By the looks of it, she doubted he got much sleep last night either. When she finally looked him in the eye, his normally charming and handsome face was twisted with the pain, betrayal, and confusion he was experiencing at the moment. Felicity was sure her face reflected her deep regret at causing that pain. They stayed like that for a minute, just silently communicating the depth of their pain, hurt, regret, confusion, and sadness to one another. Eventually, Felicity stepped out of the doorway to let him in, quietly closing the door behind him so as not to disturb the rest of the house.

The second Oliver moved into her room, he began pacing back and forth in front of her bed, leaving Felicity trapped near the door. He paced like that for quite a while too, his thumb and forefinger of his left hand rubbing together anxiously while his right hand either scrubbed his face or nervously tugged at his already heavily tousled locks.

She was starting to get nervous. "Oliver..." She gently called out into the thick silence between them, "Please, say something, anything..." She begged.

His first move surprised her. At her words, he came a stop in front of her and closed the gap between them slightly, his wild, desperate eyes pleading with her own stormy blues "I need to see it. I need... I need to know for sure. Please, show me."

Her jaw dropped subtly, her lips parting ever so slightly in surprise. He wanted to see the mark, fully, with his own two eyes to make sure it was real. Unable to find her voice, she just nodded slowly before turning around so her back faced him now. Her shaky fingers fumbled with the buttons on her short sleeve pajama top, but eventually she got them undone. Taking the two sides in either hand, Felicity shrugged the shirt over her shoulders and down her arms, letting the back slip down, bearing her mark for him to see. She didn't bother with modesty, which she thought poetic, as she literally exposed her soul for him to see at last.

She heard a pained exhale from him, almost sounding as if he'd been punched in the gut. She felt his heavy gaze on her back for a prolonged period as he took his time observing every little detail, making sure it really was just like his. Then, he surprised her again. She felt his fingertips brush the mark, her skin practically bursting into flames at his touch on their mark. But, his touch wasn't loving or appreciative. It wasn't rough either. It was born from his need to physically feel that it was real too. As if that was the final test to prove this was all real, she heard him stagger behind her, his fingers leaving her skin in the process. "It really _is_ you." He breathed out in shock as he crumpled onto the foot of her bed.

Pulling her shirt back over her shoulders and hastily buttoning it, she turned around the minute she was decent again to see an utterly distraught Oliver. He was hunched over, his elbows resting on his knees and his hands desperately clutching at his hair again for dear life. The sight absolutely broke her heart. She wanted to go to him, more than anything in that moment, kneel in front of him, and hold him. She wanted to ease his pain through the comfort she knew her touch could provide. She knew that she couldn't though, no matter how much she wanted to or how much he needed it.

"I hoped it would be you, you know." He croaked out, his voice hoarse with emotion. He still didn't look at her as he said this. He kept his head hung instead, his sad eyes staring blankly at the wood flooring. "Deep down, I think I'd always hoped it would be you, even the day I got my mark and had that fuzzy dream of my soulmate. New Year's Eve was the first time I _really_ thought about it though. All the signs had been there. I started to feel things, notice things that I hadn't before, and I liked it. It was like I was drawn to you more than usual, and I didn't mind one bit. I spent all night that night analyzing every detail. But... then I didn't think it could be you because you would have told me."

Finally, Oliver tilted his head up, his eyes finding her's from under his long eyelashes. In that moment, he looked so young, lost and scared. "I just don't understand, why didn't you want me to know?"

She was stunned. She had expected an angry Oliver, not the crushed man in front of her. And... it was all because he had hoped she was his soulmate. He thought about it. He had wanted that for them once upon a time. But she might have dashed that dream for both of them by waiting so long for him to find out. She had been so wrong about everything, and now she was paying the price.

Wrapping her arms around herself protectively, she shifted nervously on her bare feet, her face turning away slightly, unable to face his pained gaze any longer while she said what she needed to say. "I was scared. I still am." She nearly whispered.

Still unable to face him, she only heard him moving next to her. Next thing she knew his chest appeared in her peripheral vision, his shaky hands tentatively reaching out for her. They stopped just next to her arms, hovering, waiting. Eventually, he gently placed his hands on her arms to get her to look at him again. "I don't understand, Felicity. Why are you so scared that you couldn't talk to me about this?" He implored, the raw pain still evident in his eyes.

She hated how gentle he was being with her, how patient. There was no malice in his touch, only concern and the desperate need to understand. She stepped back, pulling herself from his loose hold and side-stepped him, moving around him and into the room. She didn't deserve his gentleness. Thankfully, he didn't press the issue, but he did turn to face her retreating form when she moved around him. "I'm scared of getting hurt, Oliver. If I had told you, if I willingly let my guard down and we tried this, I know I'd fall hard for you. And it would happen so easily because, if I'm being honest, I've been halfway there for a while now. But... there's no way to know this would even work out in the end." Felicity explained with a shaky voice.

"I get that. I'm scared too, but that doesn't mean you should have kept this from me, or that we shouldn't give this a chance. You can't know that this won't work between us." He insisted with a bit more force than she expected.

"Oh, and you do?" She questioned hotly, spinning around to pin him with an accusing look. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Oliver." She advised, her brows pulling together into a soft frown. "My father promised my mother the world, but he broke his promise. Being soulmates doesn't always mean eternal love. Sometimes, someone gets hurt." She mumbled.

She tried to turn away from him again, but this time Oliver wasn't having it. He firmly grabbed her arm, preventing her from hiding from him again, though she still refused to look at him. "I am not your father. I would never do that to you, Felicity. You have to believe me." He insisted with a frustrated edge to his voice.

She shook her head adamantly. "It's not that easy Oliver. Saying things like that doesn't make it come true. It's your actions that count, and that's why I've been afraid to tell you."

He paused, rearing back slightly. It seemed like there was another issue at hand here other than her trust issues with her father. "What do you mean by that?" He asked, his eyes intently examining her face for any hint of what she was referring to. "Felicity..., what's really going on here? Is this about the way I treated you last year?" He questioned in a low voice when she didn't respond after a minute.

She bit her lip, her eyes nervously flicking around as she tightened her arms around herself. "No, it's not about that." She assured with a shake of her head. "It's just that... well, you've never had the best track record when it comes to girls." She stuttered out, but once she said the words, it was like the flood gates opened up. "I didn't tell you over Christmas break either because I wasn't sure you wanted this... wanted me, and I was scared to put my heart out there like that. Then, summer came, and I was going to tell you, because I thought that maybe we could do this. But, then you started dating around again. It hurt to watch you date all those women, and it made me think you weren't ready to know who your soulmate is after all. Not only that but you constantly cheated on the only serious girlfriend you ever had. I'm afraid it'll be no different with me, and I'm afraid that I'll just get hurt."

After rushing that out, she held her breath and waited for his reaction. When he didn't respond immediately, she finally chanced a tentative look at him. Now he looked angry. His lips were pinched together, and there was a sudden tension about him that stiffened his whole posture. "I can't believe you think I would treat you that way or that I wouldn't want you to tell me we're soulmates. You mean too much to me. After being best friends for so long, we share something deeper than I ever shared with those women. That's why we're soulmates, Felicity." He stated lowly, his fiery eyes boring into her's and showing her every ounce of belief he had in what he was saying.

Though his words slowly chipped away at the wall she'd put up against him, he was still forgetting one big problem to his whole theory. "You're right, we have a beautiful, unique friendship. That's the problem. We've only ever been friends Oliver. We don't know how to be anything more, and we might not even work well as a couple. You're forgetting something: our soulmarks don't make us fall in love with one another. It just doesn't work like that. They aren't a binding contract. My father proved that point quite firmly. So, you see, despite our history, it doesn't mean you'll ever love me like that." She cried out, only barely managing to keep her voice somewhat quiet so the whole house didn't hear them.

He huffed out an angry breath, his jaw jutting out slightly in frustration. He stared at her momentarily, trying to see if she really believed what she was saying. After a minute, he turned and paced back and forth in front of her a few times in frustration at her stubbornness while running an angry hand through his locks a few times. Eventually, he came to a stop in front of her again, his electric blue eyes finding her eyes again and holding her gaze with a purpose. "Don't ask me to say I don't love you, Felicity." He beseeched desperately.

She sucked in a sharp breath at this surprising turn of events. All these years, he'd never once indicated he might see her as anything other than his best friend. "While I know we're not at the place where we're _in love_ with each other, gods, I'd be lying if I said I didn't love you. Don't ever doubt how much I care about you Felicity." He affirmed, his voice still carrying a slight edge as his frustration at her blindness to his own feelings lingered. "This scares me too. This changes everything, but there's nobody who could ever understand me better than you do, and nobody I'd rather have as a soulmate than you. You just have to stop pushing me away." He pleaded, a slight sadness slipping back into his eyes.

Felicity felt tears well up in her eyes, a few managing to escape before she could hastily wipe them away. She was such an idiot. She'd never once thought about how he might feel. She just assumed he didn't, or couldn't love her. She had gotten it all wrong. It still didn't mean they could make things last, but it gave her hope that they might still have a future. "Where do we go from here?" She whispered, almost afraid of the answer. Even with everything on the table now, that didn't mean everything was going to instantly be okay between them. Not even close.

He heaved a tired sigh. "I think we should both take some time to think about things. We both need time to come to terms with everything." He suggested tiredly, the weight of what they had been discussing finally taking it's toll on him.

Panic flooded her at his suggestion that they take time to think. Not that she didn't want to contemplate what Oliver had shared with her, rather she was worried that he wouldn't like what he saw when he really thought about everything that she hid from him and the fears she'd just shared. Apparently her internal panic wasn't so internal because Oliver quickly reached out and slid his hand into one of her's that was still wrapped around her arm protectively. Though she couldn't stop from worrying completely, his reassuring touch helped. "Hey, it's okay. This isn't me saying never. I just need some time to understand where you are coming from, just like you need to understand exactly how I feel about you. We need to understand each other to be able to start over going forward."

It was like he knew exactly what she was thinking, and of course he was right. She nodded and tightened her small fingers around his larger ones, pouring her fears into that small gesture. "Are we going to be okay, or did I ruin everything?" She asked honestly, her wide eyes connecting with his tired ones.

He gave her a small, sad smile. "I don't know. But, we'll figure it out with time. For now, how about we try and enjoy the rest of our time at the cabin." He answered just as honestly. Though it wasn't what she wanted to hear, it still left room for the possibility that they would in fact be okay, no matter how long it might take them to get there. "Are you going to be okay if I go?" He asked tenderly.

Tears welled up in her eyes again at that. After all her deception and basically admitting she didn't trust him, he still wanted to make sure she was okay. She nodded slowly, blinking back her tears. "I'll manage. And you?"

His lips turned up on one side into a slight smile for her, though it didn't reach his tired eyes. "I'll manage." He echoed. His hand still tucked into hers gave her one last squeeze before he gently slipped it out of her grip to make his way to the door. He paused briefly in the doorway. "Good night, Felicity. Try to get some sleep, okay?" He implored before exiting quietly, like a ghost in the night.

Despite what he said, they both knew neither of them would be getting any sleep tonight.

****

Felicity was seated behind the wheel of Tommy's Audi that she had inconspicuously borrowed for the night... without asking Tommy. It's not that he would mind if she borrowed his car, she just didn't want him to know where she was going because where she was going she needed to go alone.

The fingers of her right hand tapped out an arbitrary pattern on the steering wheel and her unoccupied left foot bounced nervously as she made her way down the familiar winding pathway leading to the Queen mansion. It had been almost one week since she and Oliver had that weighty discussion in her bedroom at the cabin. Both kept their distance from each other since then, taking time to think about everything as agreed. He was due to set sail on the Gambit with his father in the morning for China, meaning she wouldn't have another chance to talk to him for almost two weeks. So, she made a spur of the moment decision tonight to come and see him. She was still scared of what the future held for them, and she had no idea if he was ready to see her either, but she couldn't let him leave not knowing where they stood.

Pulling up under the familiar stone portico and quickly shutting the car off, she sat there in silence for a moment, frozen and unable to get herself to leave the car. She didn't know if she was ready, but she'd have to be. Taking a deep breath, she righted her glasses and nervously checked the state of her ponytail that she'd hastily fashioned when she decided to come here on a whim. Confident that she didn't look like a total mess, despite knowing she probably looked like a hobo in her loose grey sweatpants and a white MIT long sleeve, she finally emerged from the car and tried her best to make her way to the door with confidence despite her wild nerves raging inside of her.

Just as she brought her hand up to try the large, ornate knocker on one of the doors, the door flew open hastily. Whoever was exiting was certainly in a hurry, so much so that their firm chest collided with her face. Luckily a pair of big hands grabbed her arms, holding her in place so she wouldn't tumble down the steps at the sudden impact. At the warm, tingling sensation, that started where his hands were on her arms and spread throughout her body from there, there was no mistaking who she'd run into. They both inhaled deeply, stepping back slightly to look at each other. "Hey." Oliver greeted softly, the surprise at her presence clear in his eyes.

She cleared her throat nervously, dropping her gaze from his eyes to stare at his chest. "Hey. I... um... I'm sorry if I caught you at an inconvenient time. I can do this later..." She trailed off awkwardly, wanting nothing more than to run back home now. She was stupid to try and come to see him unannounced like this. She hadn't even thought he might have other plans.

Though she was trying to shy away from him to make her hasty escape, Oliver's firm but gentle hands refused to let her leave. "I was actually coming to see you." He admitted quietly.

Her retreat attempts halted quickly and her gaze flew back up to his in shock, her mouth dropping open into a small "o" shape. It was funny, honestly, how apparent it was that they were so in sync because they both felt the need to go to the other tonight. "Looks like we had the same idea." She laughed nervously.

After that a brief silence settled over them as they just stared at each other, neither of them believing they were here right now. Oliver seemed to come to his senses first and coughed awkwardly as he finally let her go, stepping aside to usher her in. "Clearly, I'm really glad you're here Felicity. Come on in." He said, and she didn't miss the way he lingered over her name.

With a shy smile for him, she stepped around him and into the foyer of the house. After shutting the door behind them, he turned to her again, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. "Why don't we go up to my room, I don't think we'll disturb anyone there." He suggested. At that moment, Felicity deeply regretted her dirty mind making an appearance at the least appropriate time ever when a slight blush tinted her cheeks at his suggestion. Oliver seemed to sense what made her blush and instantly back-tracked nervously. "Not like that, uh... I just meant so we can talk in private. My parents are in another wing, and I think Thea is still up in the theater room. Not that I expect us to be loud either, I just don't want anyone to interrupt us..."

His voice trailed off when Felicity put a light hand on his arm to calm him. _Looks like I'm not the only one who's nervous_ , she thought in amusement. "I know what you meant, but you know how my brain is sometimes, especially when I'm nervous." She laughed quietly, tapping the side of her head for effect. "Lead the way."

"Heh, right." He agreed with a nervous chuckle and then nodded his head towards the stairs leading his room before making his way up to his room with Felicity following close behind.

Their collective nervousness didn't dissipate at all by the time they entered his room. In fact, it seemed to get worse the closer they got to having their conversation. When Oliver took a seat on the side of his bed, Felicity still stayed near the doorway of his room, unsure of what to do. With a reassuring smile, he patted the bed next to himself to tell her it was okay to join him. Taking a seat next to him, but not too close, they both sat their stiffly for a minute, unsure of what to say. Suddenly, they both turned to each other at the same time.

"I didn't want..."

"I couldn't let you..."

They both began at the same time before sharing an awkward chuckle. "You go first." Oliver chivalrously offered after a minute.

She fixed him with a grateful smile and took a deep breath before starting over again. "I couldn't let you leave tomorrow without seeing you again." She started, averting her gaze to her hands where her fingers were nervously fidgeting in her lap. "I don't know where you stand, or how you feel about all this after all the thinking I'm sure you've done, and I know I still have a ways to go, but I needed to see you. Even though I know you'll be back soon, I couldn't stand you leaving knowing how much we left unsaid." She whispered.

Next thing she knew she felt his hand come up to cup her cheek as he gently turned her face up so he could look her in the eye. It was his silent way of telling her not to hide from him anymore, she knew that, she could feel it in the gentleness of his touch. "You know, I was going to say the exact same thing. I couldn't leave like that either." He said, huffing out a breathy laugh. "Tell me, what's going on in that head of your's Felicity." He implored softly, his voice taking on a more serious tone.

She closed her eyes, her features scrunching up slightly as though she was in pain. And she kind of was. She wanted to lean into his gentle touch, and it pained her to resist. Bringing her hands up, she gently took the hand on her face into both of her own and brought it to rest in between them instead. "I know I'll regret the way I handled all of this for a long time. I know I hurt you by not trusting you and not telling you, and I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I so was wrong to push you away like I did, and I can't tell you how sorry I am. I don't expect you to have forgiven me, or even to forgive me in the near future, but I want to try and earn your trust again. Do you think that might be possible?" She asked, turning her hopeful, pleading eyes up to him again.

He gave her a small smile before gazing down at his big hand wrapped in both of her smaller ones, his mind drifting off briefly. "Remember when you had to pull my head out of my ass last summer?" He asked contemplatively, but didn't pause long enough for her to really answer before continuing his train of thought. Looking back up at her, he gave her a reassuring smile. "When I stayed away from you at the beginning of last summer, I was afraid. Afraid that the damage was done and that you didn't want me near you again. But then you told me something along the lines of we can work through it, together. That's what we do best, Felicity. We never gave up on each other then, and I refuse to give up now." He concluded confidently.

"I'm not going to lie, it does hurt that you didn't feel like you could trust me, or that you thought you weren't that special to me. But, I get it. If you can forgive me for the way I treated you a year ago, I think I can definitely forgive you for being human and having doubts. It'll take some time, but we have plenty of that." He added with a smile, and Felicity felt the tension leaving her body with each word. He was willing to give this a try, and that's all that matters.

She felt tears well up in her eyes. "Thank you." She whispered breathily, her voice thick with the relief she felt at his words. "So, where do we go from here?" She asked hopefully.

He gave the hand holding his a gentle squeeze, his thumb lightly stroking her skin in a comforting manner. "When I come back, we'll take this one step at a time. We don't have to rush into things, so we can take our time to just figure out what this soulmate thing means for us. I want this with you Felicity, and I'll work every day to prove to you that I'm nothing like your father and that you mean more to me than any other woman ever could. Is that okay?"

She gave him a shy smile and a nod in response. She didn't mind slow, slow would be good for them. "I like the sound of one step at a time. And I'll do my best to trust you in return." She promised. "Can we agree to one thing, no more secrets? It's never worked out well for us." She joked lamely, trying to lighten the mood a little, though she was completely serious about the request. If they were going to make this work, they couldn't shut each other out anymore.

He cracked a smile at that, but the knowing look in his eyes meant he understood what she was asking. "No more secrets." He stated as a promise.

She let out a deep sigh of relief before falling silent as she contemplated something. "Tell me if this isn't okay." She whispered as she took both of his hands in hers now. Sliding a little closer to him, she brought his arms up and around her while she tucked herself into his side, sliding her arms around his torso. She knew it was probably too forward, but she really needed this right now. She just wanted him to hold her for a while.

She heard a soft laugh vibrate in his chest as he adjusted his arms until they were holding each other more comfortably. "This is more than fine, Felicity." He whispered before pressing a soft, lingering kiss into her hair.

She sniffled slightly as she let his warmth and comfort seep into her through their embrace. "I don't deserve you." She whispered to herself. She didn't know if he heard her or not, but he tightened his arms around her slightly after that, pulling her a little closer to him.

They stayed wrapped up in each other for a few more minutes, just savoring the fact that everything would be okay and that they were both going into this new journey together, before Felicity reluctantly decided to go so Oliver could get some sleep before he set sail in the morning.

Just two weeks. That's all she had to wait for Oliver to return and for them to get to know each other again as soulmates. Just two anxious weeks.

****

_This dream felt... different._

_She was scared, really scared. And so cold._

_She couldn't see anything. Everything was happening so fast around her._

_It started with a loud explosion, and suddenly everything went dark. There was a brief moment of deafening silence before the sound of something ripping open reached her ears. Then came the sound of rushing water. She didn't know what was going on, but terror filled her as she was pulled under the water. Everything spun around her as she was tumbled about under the water, struggling to breath and struggling to orient herself._

_Everything went black._

 

Felicity shot up in her bed panting and sweating from her night terror. Her pajamas clung to her body and the hairs around her forehead and at the base of her neck were plastered to her skin.

She hadn't had a nightmare that bad in years. It all felt so real too.

It was so real that she was a bit disoriented upon waking. She still felt like she was in danger, despite clearly being in the safety of her own room at the Merlyn manor. Her eyes frantically swung back and forth around her room for a minute until she was sure it had all been just a dream.

Wiping some of the lingering sweat from her brow, she took a minute to let her breathing slow to a normal rate again. Once she'd managed to calm down a little, she glanced at her clock and saw that it was just after 7:00 am. Though she was definitely aware that it had just been a dream, the lingering dread in the pit of her stomach told her there was no way she was going back to sleep.

Slowly pulling herself out of bed, she went into her bathroom and splashed her face with cold water a few times to try and remove the last traces of her nightmare. After drying her face, she glanced at herself in the mirror and studied the reflection of her eyes. There was still a clear hint of fear behind them that just wouldn't go away. She shook her head and tore her gaze away from her reflection as she exited the bathroom. There was no way that was real... so why was it still bothering her.

Deciding that, ironically, a cup of coffee would soothe her still rattled nerves, she sluggishly made her way down to the kitchen. The only comfort she took right now was that the house would be quiet. Malcolm was likely already at work, but she knew her mom and Tommy would still be fast asleep for at least another hour.

While her coffee was brewing, she turned on the kitchen TV and put the news on for some mindless white noise to take away the edge that a too quiet house had. With her steaming mug of fresh coffee in hand, she leaned over the island, resting her bare elbows against the refreshingly cold marble surface. Absentmindedly sipping her coffee, her mind drifted back to her dream in an attempt to figure out why it bothered her.

That was, until something on the TV piqued her interest. Forgetting about the dream for a minute, she focused her attention on the news.

 _What... no... that can't possibly be true..._ , she thought, panic slowly washing over her.

Her heart was beating out of her chest as image after image and the reporter's words registered with her. She didn't want to believe it, but her gut told her it was true. Something was wrong, terribly wrong.

The moment the reality of it hit her, her coffee mug slipped from her weak fingers and shattered on the counter top, the coffee scattering everywhere. She knew she must have let out a strangled scream, but she couldn't remember. Her whole body was shaking like a leaf as pure terror filled her.

She felt someone gently touch her arm, but her eyes stayed glued to the screen in front of her. "Felicity! What happened? Are you okay?"

Tommy, she noted in the back of her mind. She must have woken him. But that was the last thing on her mind. She let out a quiet, pained whimper as the headline flashed across the screen again, finally drawing Tommy's attention to whatever had her in such a distressed state. She felt him go limp next to her, and for a minute she thought he was going to pass out.

"No..." She heard him breathe out in disbelief, a sudden hollowness entering his voice.

But it _was_ true, plain as day, and the repeating headline scrolling across the bottom of the screen said it all:

**_BREAKING NEWS  
Storm sinks Queen's Gambit near China; Robert and Oliver Queen presumed dead._ **

Any other time, she wouldn't believe such quick speculation of their deaths. The difference: she now knew that was Oliver's death she had glimpsed in her dream last night through their soulmate connection 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, if you're all still alive after the angst overload and that plot twist, welcome to a more detailed end note now that all of the cats are out of the bag!
> 
> Now you see why this took me so long to post haha. I really wanted to get everything just right, and it took me several tries to get their conversations to a place where I was happy with them. I hope that part was worth the wait.
> 
> Okay, so, before you all kill me for that ending, I just wanted to tell you guys that I did have this planned from the very beginning. This wasn't a sudden change of plans to spice things up. It was a very purposeful choice because, though they agreed to give things a shot, it makes Felicity step back and put things into perspective when he returns. I don't want to go too much into it now, and if you have questions about why I did it I'll do my best to answer, but it fundamentally changes the way they both go into this soulmate journey going forward.
> 
> The only thing I can say I did change from my original plan was that I had an entirely different reveal in mind. In my original plan, Oliver wasn't supposed to find out until after he got back to Starling. Originally, I never planned to take 10 chapters to get here, so I felt like I would lose some of you guys if I drew out the reveal for an unnecessarily long time. Not only that, but now the knowledge of being soulmates adds another dimension to Oliver's journey while he's away.
> 
> Special shout out to one reader who commented last chapter asking about whether Oliver would indeed become the Green Arrow in this story. I normally answer any question posted in the comments section, but I just couldn't answer that one without giving anything away. So, I figured a good answer would be showing rather than telling! Good thing this chapter was due up next haha.
> 
> I'm sure you guys might have questions after everything I threw at you this chapter, so please don't hesitate to drop me a line or even just share your thoughts on the chapter as a whole! I always love to hear from you guys.


	11. Interlude: Year 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, just wow! Your reactions to the last chapter gave me life. I was so nervous posting it, unsure of how you guys would receive the twist ending, but I'm so glad so many of you are on board for this new adventure!
> 
> A lot of you have been asking how long it will be until they're reunited, and there are really two answers to that question. In the story, he will be "on the island" for 5 years. In real world time, it won't take long at all! I don't want to draw it out, because a lot of the details will come up when their story continues upon Oliver's return. That being said, I do want to give you guys an insight into what happens during those 5 years he's away. So, the next few updates will be a series of really short chapters, with varying POVs to give you a glimpse of what happened and their evolution over their time apart. This way you have an idea of where they are at as individuals once I reunite them. The best part: since these chapters are really short, they'll be posted in pretty quick succession of each other.
> 
> Without further ado, first up: their reactions right after the Gambit sinks!

 

She couldn't handle this. It was all too much. The way everyone kept looking at her, the overwhelmingly oppressive feeling of grief that saturated the house, and all the fake people crying fake tears for a man they never knew. They had come to the Queen mansion for the funeral of Robert and Oliver Queen, but Felicity just couldn't bring herself to attend the funeral and stare at his empty grave. She wasn't ready to face it. She couldn't look at his headstone because that meant it would be all too real... too final.

So, Felicity disappeared. She could have hid anywhere in the huge mansion, maybe somewhere that didn't hold so many memories of him, but that would feel wrong. His room was the only place she wanted to be. It was one of the few places in the austere mansion where she could still feel his presence, and there was nothing she wanted more right now than to feel like he was there with her again.

The second she entered his room though, the first tears she had been holding back for days now finally fell hot and thick from her eyes. She didn't know what she expected by coming here, but everything was the same. It was like nothing ever happened, and she half expected him to pop out of the bathroom which only made things worse. It was a stark reminder that he really was gone, that he wouldn't just appear any minute now to make this all better.

She knew the panic attack was coming, but she was hopeless to stop it. Her heart thudded loudly in her chest, her lungs felt heavy as she struggled to breath, and her eyes blurred as more hot tears spilled out, leaving salty track on her heated skin. Her dress felt tight, like it was slowly constricting her as he started hyperventilating, slipping further into her panic attack.

Out. She needed out.

Clawing frantically for the zipper on her back, she hastily unzipped it and shoved the offending garment to the ground as quickly as she possibly could, leaving herself exposed in more ways than one as she continued to openly cry in middle of his room. The panic attack didn't subside though. Her eyes searched the room frantically for anything that could help, but her hysterical tears only worsened at each new thing her eyes settled on that reminded her of him. She backed up against the closed door as the memories of him closed in around her, and the minute her back hit the door she crumpled to the floor, unable to fight any longer. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she hung her head between her bent legs and wrapped her arm around her legs, curling herself into a little protective ball as she cried until she couldn’t cry anymore.

When the tears finally subsided, quieting into small periodic hiccups now, Felicity pulled herself up from the floor. She knew she needed to make herself somewhat decent again, but she felt her chest automatically tighten when she thought about putting her dress back on and trying to go back out in public. Instead, her feet automatically took her across the room to his beautiful oak dresser. She ran her fingers reverently over the surface before pulling open the drawer she knew contained what she was looking for. She remembered it from all those years ago.

She pulled out a familiar pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt and quickly threw them on over her still shaking frame. Her eyes automatically slid shut as she stood there for a minute after she was dressed again, just savoring the sensation. His smell still lingered on the clothes, and she was sure she could still feel his warmth around her. Opening her eyes before she went to that dark place again that brought on her first panic attack, she let out a shaky breath and wrapped her arms protectively around herself.

Numbly, and exhausted from her earlier panic attack, she made her way over to his bed. It was probably a terrible idea, and it would definitely hurt later, but she wanted to feel close to him one last time. Climbing onto the bed, she grabbed one of his pillows and curled herself around it. Closing her eyes, she let herself imagine it was him she was holding as she breathed in his scent that lingered all around her.

She fell asleep like that, curled into a small ball in the middle of his bed, as she mourned what could have been between her and Oliver. They had just agreed to give this a shot, but now he was gone, and she would never know what it would have been like to truly love and be loved. Without him, she would never be the same again.

****

So far, Oliver had nearly drowned when the Gambit suddenly went down at sea and watched as his father killed himself and the lone surviving crew member so he could live. Then, when he finally reached dry land, he didn't have any time to process everything before he was shot through the shoulder and captured by a hooded archer. Stupidly, he ran from his supposed captor only to be snared in a trap set by god knows whom, only to be saved by his new hooded friend. And that was all in the first few days since the Gambit's demise. Now, for the first time since arriving on this hellish island who knows how many days ago, Oliver wasn't in imminent danger, so he finally had a chance to pause and reflect on everything that had happened.

He wished he had more time to mourn his father's death, and mourn the circumstances of his death. He knew it would haunt him for the rest of his life. Maybe, just maybe, if he could make it back to Starling, he could honor his father's final wish and make his father proud. With the danger he knew he faced on his island, he had no idea if he would make it back alive though.

Reaching into one of the pockets of his torn up shorts, he searched for the journal his father had left him as part of his dying wish. While his "savior" was out hunting for dinner, he wanted to take the time to look at it again to see if he had missed anything. When he pulled the journal out, his wallet came with it and he froze staring down at the last personal item that survived with him from the Gambit. He had totally forgotten about it with everything that had happened since his arrival on the island.

Maybe everything inside was still in tact...

Placing the notebook back in his pocket for the time being, his shaky hand picked up the black wallet and slowly opened it. He took a deep breath as he pulled open one of the inner pockets and retrieved the only item inside that he cared about. Swallowing thickly, he unfolded the object and felt the breath woosh from his lungs.

It survived. Somehow, the only noticeable damage was the crinkles from where he folded it up to fit it in his wallet.

Staring up at him was the impeccably preserved Christmas market photo.

He didn't know what made him bring it with him all those weeks ago when he boarded the Gambit. No, that was a lie. He knew exactly why he tucked it in his wallet at the last minute. He brought it with him as a reminder of what was waiting for him when he got back to Starling. He looked at it almost every night while he was on the boat, and he could still remember the nervous excitement he felt just thinking about returning to Felicity... returning to his soulmate.

The first tears sprung to his eyes and made big wet marks on his dirty shorts when they eventually grew too large to contain. He didn't know when he was going to make it back to her now, and this photo was all he had left of the life he might have lived.

Seeing Thea and Tommy looking so happy tugged painfully at his heart. He couldn't even begin to imagine what they were going through, thinking he was dead. The only thing he took comfort in is that they would have each other. His eyes shifted to him and Felicity as a few more tears cut a path down his dirty cheeks.

He really had been so blind when he looked at this photo before he knew the truth. Though they had never done anything even remotely romantic together, they both looked so in love and so happy in the photo. If you knew what you were looking for, you could see that there was something special between them. His fingers gripped the photo tightly, his eyes still glued to Felicity.

He couldn't give up. He would make it off this island, and he would go home to Felicity. She was his reason to fight, his reason to live. He made her a promise – a promise to never leave her, to never hurt her –, and he couldn't die on her just yet if he had a chance to keep his promise and return to her one day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, and as always I'd love to hear your thoughts! 
> 
> In other news, I'm already mostly done with the next interlude chapter, and I literally cannot wait to get it to you guys. There are just so many feels in the next chapter!


	12. Interlude: Year 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I totally meant to get this to you guys days ago, but I put too much faith in myself. I went out of town for about six days, and I thought I'd find time at some point to post this and maybe even another chapter if I really tried. But, tis life! I'm back now, and I just couldn't let you guys wait any longer for the next installment!
> 
> As always, thank you so much for the love on the last chapter!! I know I'm making you feel all the feels with all this angst, but thanks for bearing with me guys. Shameless plug, but if you need a reprieve after this go check out my Olicity Hiatus Fic-A-Thon submission for week 1 if you haven't already! It's so ridiculously fluffy that it definitely makes up for how angsty this story is haha.
> 
> Enjoy :)

The light was finally dimming on what Felicity supposed was a symbolically gloomy day as she tentatively walked around to the back of the Queen mansion. With each step she took towards her destination, her bare feet sunk into the damp grass, accentuating the sensation that she was walking with a huge weight on her shoulders. Making her way down the slight hill, her hollow eyes spotted her destination. She faltered slightly at the sight of the looming gravestones in front of her, and for a minute she seized up in panic and nearly turned back around. She needed to do this though, so she trudged on.

She hadn't come home to Starling for almost two years. It was tough - staying away from her friends and family for so long -, but Starling was full of too many memories, and she hadn't been ready to accept the truth when she first decided to stay on the East coast. Her denial over losing Oliver was so intense that it sent her into a really dark place during those years. The nightmares didn't help either. They began shortly after Oliver's death, probably as a manifestation of her grief since she refused let go of him for so long. Though infrequent, each nightmare left it's mark on her. All she could remember about them now was pain; physical, emotional, and psychological pain. The severity of it was so overwhelming too that Felicity could never recall any other details about the dream the morning after. Felicity almost always fell into a state of depression for several days after a nightmare too. She had learned to cope with them by now, and they weren't nearly as exhausting, but the nightmares never really stopped.

In her pain, she cut off almost all contact with her friends and family in Starling. Desperate for some kind of outlet though, Felicity eventually began hanging out with the wrong crowd and even delved into the dark side of hacking in an attempt to find Oliver, fueled by her denial that there was no way Oliver was really dead. She spent those two dark years focusing on nothing but investigating the mysterious circumstances of the Gambit's demise on her own after the official investigation was prematurely closed, trying to find any evidence that Oliver and his father might still be alive. After almost getting arrested by the FBI, and after two years of not a single breadcrumb to follow, she gave up and began to accept the harsh truth. Felicity did a lot of things she wasn't proud out of anger and denial during those years. Looking at herself now, it was like she was an entirely different person back then. But, she was finally ready to start fresh and be Felicity Smoak again.

Now that she was finally home, this was the first place she wanted... no, needed to go. In order to start on the road to recovery, she needed the closure she never got. It wasn't as though she was ever going to stop thinking about him, but she was finally ready to accept the fact that he was really gone. That's how she found herself finally staring down her soulmate's grave almost two years after his death.

Taking the last few steps up to the pair of graves, Felicity choked back a sob as she fell to her knees in front of his grave, not even caring if the damp grass ruined her black dress, and placed a shaky hand on the cold stone. She thought she cried all the tears she could possibly cry in that first year after he died, but unsurprisingly facing his grave for the first time was a more than adequate catalyst to open all her old wounds. "Oliver... I'm so sorry I'm late... I..." She stumbled, but couldn't quite make it through a whole sentence before another sob stopped her.

A few quiet minutes went by where Felicity silently cried and clutched at his grave until a meek, unsure voice called out behind her. "Felicity?"

Jumping to her feet and spinning around quickly, Felicity came face to face with Thea for the first time in two years. Felicity almost didn't recognize her. "I didn't know if it was really you, your hair..." Thea trailed off, waving a hand in the direction of Felicity's hair, clearly shocked to see Felicity again after such a long time and looking so different.

Using a hand to wipe the lingering tears from her eyes, Felicity then brushed some of her blonde locks behind her ear. "It's really different, I know. I just needed a change..." She trailed off too, unsure of what to say to Thea and how to even begin to apologize for being absent the last two years. "Thea..." She started as she took a step towards the young girl, hoping the right words would eventually come to her.

"Are you really home? Or are you just going to disappear again?" Thea asked hollowly, taking a step back when Felicity tried to step towards her. "Where were you for the last two years? How could you just leave like that? We needed you here... **I** needed you here." She bawled, the deep, lasting hurt Felicity knew Thea was experiencing lacing every word she threw at Felicity.

Seeing Thea's raw anguish broke Felicity's heart. She never thought her actions would hurt Thea this deeply, especially when Thea had their friends and family around her to help her while she grieved.

Tears pooled in the young girl's eyes and her voice became very meek as Thea finally let her walls down. "Why didn't you come home?" Thea pleaded quietly one last time.

The second those first tears fell from Thea's eyes, Felicity rushed to her and gathered the young, fragile girl in her arms. Thea's tiny arms wrapped themselves tightly around Felicity's torso, her hands clinging desperately to the back of Felicity's black dress as she cried into Felicity's chest. Felicity's own arms curled around Thea's slim shoulders, one hand rubbing her back soothingly, the other pressing Thea as close as possible to herself. Sobs wracked Thea's tiny body for a long time as she finally let out all of the pain and despair she too had bottled up for so long.

"I'm sorry... so sorry..." Felicity repeated over and over again into Thea's ear, pressing the occasional kiss into her hair between words. Through her touch, she tried to show Thea she still loved her dearly and that she was here for her, something that had never changed for Felicity while she was away. So, Felicity held her close, letting Thea cry until she couldn't cry anymore.

Once Thea's sobs quieted into weak whimpers, Felicity knew this was her chance. She knew it didn't necessarily excuse her actions or choices, and she would never know if staying away for so long was the right choice or not, but Felicity was ready and willing to tell Thea exactly why she left. "You didn't know Thea... no one did." She began, fresh tears pooling in her own eyes this time at what this moment meant to Felicity... what it meant that she was finally sharing something she'd kept a secret from everyone but her mother for so long. "He was my soulmate." She whispered, a few tears falling down her cheeks and into Thea's hair.

Thea pulled back to look Felicity in the eye with a mixture of naked surprise and understanding. "Oh my god..." She breathed out, her voice raspy and worn from crying so violently not moments ago. "Did he... did Ollie know?" She asked, a sudden sadness replacing her shock as the weight of what Felicity was saying finally dawned on her.

Nodding, Felicity brought a hand around to cup Thea's face with a watery smile. "He did." This was harder to do than Felicity imagined. The look of pure heartbreak on Thea's face nearly broke her. "We never told anyone because he didn't know until that trip to the cabin that summer." Felicity clarified, a flicker of understanding shining in Thea's eyes at the memory of that weekend, all of the pieces suddenly falling into place.

"We were working through some things, but I came to see him before he left. We both agreed to give it a shot, but we never got that chance..." She trailed off, needing to pause as she relived those painful memories again. "I'm so sorry Thea, I never meant to hurt you, and I hope you know I'll always love you. I just couldn't stay in Starling after everything. The whole city reminded me of the future I never had a chance to experience, and I felt like I was suffocating. I needed time to heal, time to come to terms with his death and... I never realized just how much I loved him." She admitted softly, her fingers gently pressing into Thea's tear-stained cheek for emphasis. Pausing for a moment, Felicity took a shaky breath to gather herself after that admission. "I'm home now, for good. I pushed you all away for too long, thinking I could handle it myself, but I was so wrong. I can't do this alone."

Thea squeezed her watery eyes shut and shook her head frantically. "I had no idea... Felicity, I'm so sorry. I can't even imagine..." She lamented, her thin fingers gripping Felicity's dress as she tried desperately to communicate her empathy and understanding.

Felicity smiled softly and brushed a few of Thea's long brunette locks behind her ear. "It's okay Thea, really. I'm home now, and we'll get through this together, okay?"

Thea's wide, pained eyes looked into Felicity's somber gaze for a beat, searching for the comfort they both sought. Slowly, Thea nodded before curling herself into Felicity's arms again in a desperate hug as she cried silent tears for Felicity. Felicity squeezed her eyes shut and gave the hug everything she had, seeking the comfort she had denied herself for too long. A light drizzle started at some point, and only when it really picked up steam did the two finally let go of one another.

"Let's get inside." Felicity suggested softly. "If you're ready to hear it, I promise I'll tell you everything once we get dried off, okay?"

Wiping some of the tears from her eyes, Thea nodded. "Only if you're ready to tell it though. For now, I'm more than happy to just have you back."

Bundling Thea under one arm protectively, the pair slowly climbed back up the hill to the mansion. "I don't mind... I'm ready." Felicity answered honestly. Though there was a lot to talk about, and it wouldn't be easy, Felicity was more than ready to start opening up about the pain that had haunted her for too long now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that you enjoyed the latest update, despite the lack of Oliver's perspective. Don't worry though, he's coming back very soon ;)
> 
> I'm also sure there's more I wanted to say, but as I'm definitely a little sleep deprived I can't totally remember haha. So, if there's anything that you want to know please don't hesitate to ask. If not, I always love to hear your thoughts and comments!


	13. Interlude: Year 3, pt. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey gang!
> 
> Thank you so much for all the love on the last chapter. Outside of Oliver/Felicity interactions, Thea/Felicity will forever be my favorite relationship, and I'm so glad their love and need for the other came across as intended. It was a big milestone for Felicity to start opening up, and there's nobody I thought would be a better choice to be there for her than Thea.
> 
> Sorry for the delay on this chapter, but I got... distracted... by _About Last Night_. (Shameless plug, but it's a saucy little piece I've been working on periodically. The most recent chapter is dedicated to this week's Olicity Hiatus Fic-A-Thon prompt: Taste. If you want a little break from the angst, definitely go check it out! You won't be disappointed). The next chapter is finally here though, and hopefully, without any further distractions, things will move a little faster in the coming days!
> 
> Get excited because Oliver's POV is back in this first glimpse into his time in mainland China! Enjoy guys :)

Grumbling under his breath, Oliver begrudgingly set up the sniper rifle from his position on top of the roof with a stern Maseo Yamashiro carefully watching his every move. As per Maseo's vague instructions given to him by the equally evasive and shady Amanda Waller, Oliver's assignment is to take out the targets, that's all the information he was given. Despite Oliver's refusal to be Waller's puppet in his whole charade, Oliver wasn't about to let Waller murder Maseo's family. So, once again, Oliver was doing the devil's bidding.

Once Oliver set up the rifle, he stepped away to let Maseo line up and calibrate the scope as per Waller's instructions. Rising back to his feet, Maseo leveled Oliver with a grave look. "Remember Oliver, there will be two targets. They'll pass by your line of sight in two minutes time. You _must_ take out both of them or you know what Waller threatened to do to my family."

Oliver glared at him and took his place behind the rifle again. He hated the constant babying and the fact that he couldn't go anywhere without Maseo. He was a grown man for goodness sake.

Getting into a comfortable position while he waited, Oliver placed his dominant eye in line with the scope and paused for a second. Expecting some sketchy warehouse or a back alley to appear in the scope's line of sight, he was momentarily puzzled when he saw the opulent penthouse suite of one of Hong Kong's most luxurious hotels. Internally shrugging, he settled in and waited.

Not one minute later, precisely on schedule, he saw movement out of the bottom right corner as two bellhops came into view carrying several bags. Just behind them came whom Oliver assumed were his targets: a tall dark-haired man and a petite blonde-haired woman. A couple, maybe? They looked so young too, both probably around his age. Curious to know exactly who had come looking for him, Oliver paused and waited to see if one of them would turn and face him.

"Oliver! Take the shot!" Maseo's urgently whispered when he realized Oliver was hesitating.

 _Just a few more seconds..._ Oliver held his breath and waited, his finger twitching on the trigger. Slowly, finally, the man turned around to look at the girl trailing slight behind him now and Oliver's heart stopped briefly and started up again with a loud thud. "Tommy...?" He breathed out in surprise. His hand was shaking on the trigger... he was supposed to kill Tommy and the woman with him, whom he assumed must be Tommy's soulmate because he didn't recognize her immediately.

For some reason, he couldn’t look away though. He could tell Maseo was slowly becoming impatient behind him, but he didn't care. His best friend had come looking for him.  
With his gaze still focused on the pair, he saw the blonde begin to turn around. If he thought seeing Tommy again for the first time in years was shocking, this was far more jarring. The whole world around him slowed to a halt when he looked into a pair of blue eyes framed by a pair of familiar rectangle glasses he had dreamt about almost every night for more than two years now.

Felicity... the blonde was Felicity. _His_ Felicity.

His mind worked over time to process that she was here, practically looking him in the eye even though she couldn't know that.

With wide eyes, he drank her in, basking in the sunlight and warmth she naturally exuded. She was more beautiful than he remembered. She radiated a certain grace and confidence now that only added to her natural beauty. Seeing her for the first time in a long time, his whole body suddenly came alive. His skin tingled as he imagined her soft touch, his heart raced at the thought of holding her in his arms again, his fingers itched to memorize every beautiful curve of her body, his ears rang with her happy laughter he could still remember to this day. It was like he had suddenly woken up from a deep sleep.

After what must have only been a few seconds but felt like an eternity, Felicity turned back around and followed Tommy into the safety of the hotel suite. Like a fog being lifted, reality came crashing down on Oliver and he quickly shoved himself away from the offending rifle. Stumbling to his feet and spinning around, he glared at Maseo with a fire blazing in his eyes that hadn't been there in years. "Did you know?" He growled. Oliver was done playing games.

Maseo looked affronted and confused. "Know what, Oliver? Why didn't you take the shot?!"

Oliver grit his teeth together, trying to maintain what little of his composure he was still hanging onto. "That was my best friend and my _soulmate_. So no, of course I wasn't going to take the shot." He stated quietly with a dangerous edge to his voice. He was beyond pissed off. Waller was playing a sick game with him, and he was done being her pawn. "I'm done... with all of this. This crosses a line."

Maseo had the gall to look almost sympathetic under his usually cool mask of indifference as what Oliver was saying washed over him. Oliver stared down Maseo, his whole body vibrating with anger as he stood his ground, making sure Maseo knew that he wasn't going to change his mind.

"Oliver, you know it doesn't work like that. If Waller ordered them dead, it's an order. They came to Hong Kong searching for _you_ , Oliver, and Waller can't have your picture being flashed around the city. And if it isn't carried out, my own soulmate's life is on the line. I'm sorry... I really am." Maseo explained, his own temper rising at Oliver's incompetence.

Oliver only became more furious. "That's not good enough!" He bellowed out, his whole body was wound so tightly he looked like he would snap any second. "How is your soulmate's life more important than mine? How can you even say that? I know what's at stake here, but there has to be a way." He growled out lowly through clenched teeth.

Maseo looked Oliver in the eye for a long time, silently assessing him and gauging the situation. Oliver still didn't back down. He stared back, a fire still blazing in his eyes as he fought for Felicity's life. Even if he couldn't return to her, he would _never_ stop protecting her.

Slowly staring to nod, Maseo's brow pinched together contemplatively. "I have a plan, then."

****

Oliver did not like this plan.

He agreed that it was the best way to get Tommy and Felicity to disappear and drop their search for him, but it was risky. First, he made Maseo swear he wouldn't hurt them during the staged kidnapping. He couldn't live with himself if any harm came to either of them. Then, there was trying to convince them to drop their search. Tommy would definitely scare easily, but Felicity was the real unknown. And if this didn't work, they would still be on Waller's radar and maybe even in more danger than before because Oliver wouldn't be the one handling it anymore.

His biggest concern though: Felicity recognizing him.

Felicity and Tommy were waiting for him on the other side of the door, tied to chairs in a dark, dingy room and probably more than a little scared, but Oliver couldn't bring himself to open the door just yet. It was one thing seeing Felicity from a far, it was another to be in the same room and breathing the same air as her. He was scared. He was scared she would be able to feel that it was him and the entire plan would be thrown out the window.

When Oliver voiced his concern about this part of the plan, Maseo tried repeatedly to reassure him that she wouldn't be able to tell. Maseo tried to explain that she would be too afraid, that her fear would cloud any possibility of her sensing that it was him. As long as he didn't touch her, which would definitely tip her off given how strong that aspect of their connection was, Oliver would be able to get in and out quickly without putting her in more danger by revealing that he was indeed still alive. That, and Oliver really had no choice. It wouldn't make sense for him be a Hong Kong Police officer that "rescues" them, and they didn't trust anyone else to help carry out the ruse, so it had to be him doing the interrogating.

Taking a deep breath and clearing his hesitant thoughts from his head, he schooled his features under his balaclava as he called up the dark side himself that put him on Waller's radar in the first place.

Pulling open the door to the room, Oliver started to stride over to where Felicity and Tommy were seated under a bright overhead light in an otherwise empty room. The moment he spotted Felicity though, his step faltered and he felt a painful tug at his gut. She was so close, and he wanted nothing more than to touch her or hold her and tell her he was okay. Recomposing himself, he strode up behind them with a purpose. He had to do this... to protect them he had to go through with this.

He didn't speak for a while, using a dramatic pause to build up their fear since they couldn't see him from their positions.

"Tommy Merlyn and Felicity Smoak." He drawled out in the gruff voice that he adopted to try and mask his real identity.

"Please, whatever it is you want, we'll give it to you. If you let us go unharmed, we'll give you anything!" Tommy pleaded frantically.

Oliver's gut twisted painfully. He could feel the fear radiating off his best friend. _It's for their own good_ , he reminded himself before pressing onward. "Oh, I know. That's exactly why you're here." He boasted.

"What do you mean?" Felicity spoke up with only the slightest waver to her voice.

Clenching his teeth together painfully, Oliver stilled behind them. He hadn't heard her voice in a little over two years now, and hearing it now tugged at something inside him. It was like all the darkness inside of him that the had embraced to survive was suddenly dissipating. "When I first thought of using Oliver Queen's account, I never thought the activity would draw the attention of Malcolm Merlyn's children. I guess it's my lucky day though." He pressed on with a confident chuckle, linking his hands together behind his back so he wasn't tempted to reach out to either of them.

The second Oliver mentioned his own name though, Felicity looked frantic and was trying to turn and face him. "You're connected to Oliver? Is he alive? Tell me you asshole!" She begged, the desperation for answers clear in her voice.

"You son of a bitch, if you have him we won't hesitate to destroy you and everyone you're working with when we get out of here." Tommy growled out, the mention of his best friend also causing him to come to life and temporarily forget that they were hostages.

Another painful twist of his gut. "You're friend is dead." Oliver replied shortly, and paused to let that sink in. "I knew activating his account would definitely cause someone to come looking for him. This was all a ruse to snag a big fish who would pay out a hefty sum of cash for their release, and you happened to be the unlucky victims. Oliver Queen is never coming back, and now you'll pay the price for being so naive as to think he was actually still alive."

The minute that sunk in, he saw Tommy deflate slightly and the fear slowly creep back up on his face as he realized what they had gotten themselves into.

Felicity's reaction nearly broke him though. Her lower lip quivered slightly, her eyes pooling with tears as all the hope she had was ripped from her grasp. Completely and utterly broken, Felicity's head slumped over, a few large tears falling onto her legs.

He couldn't do this. He couldn't stand to see her so broken. Every bone in his body, no matter how dangerous he knew it would be, screamed at him to give it all up.... because she needed him. Consequences be damned. He knew they could figure a way out of this later. His shaky hand came up to his balaclava, poised to remove it. "Feli-" He started to whisper, his voice cracking with emotions he hadn't felt in a long time.

"Police!" Maseo shouted as he breaks down the door, barging in finally to execute the last phase of the plan.

Oliver took a second to get his head back into the game before turning and making his "escape", but not before glancing at Felicity one last time, committing every detail to memory with only one thought on his mind... _Maybe it's for the best_.

Felicity was mourning the man he used to be: the carefree boy who partied, made mistakes, and loved his family and friends unconditionally. But now, he was tainted by death and darkness, that boy she mourned long gone and replaced by a man reluctantly thrust into his new life.

So, maybe it was for the best. Though he would never stop loving her with what little light was left in his heart, he wasn't the man she needed anymore. But, at least he could sleep well tonight knowing she and Tommy were safe and could go back to their normal, happy lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo... what did you guys think?! 
> 
> As always, thanks for reading and please don't hesitate to leave your thoughts on this chapter in the comments section! Each and every comment, no matter how long or short, always makes my day.


	14. Interlude: Year 3, pt. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I absolutely loved reading all your comments on the last chapter! Your enthusiasm and love for this story means so much to me.
> 
> Surprise surprise, this is another difficult chapter, but the reunion is nigh so bear with me a little longer.
> 
> Enjoy guys :)

Glancing over at the clock on her desk, Felicity let out a heavy sigh. It was past 10 pm now, and the rest of the building was mostly quiet, other than the janitors and a handful of other employees working late as well. She was working on the final touches for a new piece of code her boss was presenting to Moira tomorrow morning to help improve their security systems, and she was struggling with the last few minor details to make sure it was absolutely perfect.

Felicity had gone to work for QC right after coming home almost a year ago. She knew she would be far happier working here than going to Merlyn Global like Malcolm had been not so subtly insisting on for weeks after she got back. Luckily, Donna stepped in and attempted to persuade Malcolm to let Felicity work at QC. Which is funny because, at the time, Felicity didn't even know why she wanted to work at QC so badly. The company was one of the top tech companies in the country, sure, but there was more to it than that, and it took her a while to figure out what that something was. She felt like it was a way of honoring Oliver's memory by giving back to his family's company, and it gave her a sense of peace knowing that, as his soulmate, she could carry on his legacy, no matter how small a role she played at the company.

Staring at her desktop, Felicity leaned back in her chair with a groan, removing her glasses and rubbing her temples in frustration. She wasn't making any progress on this code, but she had to get it done by tonight, so she knew she was in for a long one. Her tired, strained eyes slid shut for a small reprieve from staring at the bright screen, but a loud ding from her desktop, tablet and phone caused her eyes to pop back open immediately. It was a unique ding that she set up for one purpose, and one purpose only.

"Oliver..?" She breathed out.

Her wide eyes scanned all three devices multiple times in disbelief. But it was real. Something had finally triggered her program.

After the Hong Kong incident, Felicity wrote a program to detect any online activity if Oliver made an appearance again. At the time she knew it was probably hopeless, but she made the program anyways because what if... When she and Tommy went to Hong Kong to find Oliver, she had a gut feeling that he was alive. Maybe it was just her naively hoping, but maybe it was their connection telling her he was really alive after all this time. But when their kidnapper told them the whole thing was a sick joke to get a big payout, that had hurt. She let herself hope that he was alive, only to be disappointed in the end. What she couldn't shake, even after that jarring news, was her gut telling her not to give up. It was like that event inspired her to listen for their connection, which she so naturally dismissed as severed until now. So, she returned home, wrote the program, and waited, hoping for another sign that he was still alive.

And this was it. This was the sign she'd been looking for. He was out there somewhere, and she was going to find him and bring him home.

Getting over her momentary shock, Felicity hastily went to work. Pulling up the program, her fingers worked double time as she frantically surfed through the data, searching for the precise location his activity had logged in her system. Suddenly, her fingers stilled over the keyboard.

He was here... in Starling. She knew that IP address. It was coming from Moira's office of all places.

Her wide eyes stared at her screen in shock. None of it made any sense. But, she had to know. If he was here, she had to find him. Questions would come later. First and foremost, she just needed to know it was really him and not another prank.

Shoving herself away from her desk without another thought, not even bothering to shut anything down, Felicity ran for the executive elevator.

****

_"Oliver, someone activated the executive elevator. You have to get out of there, now!"_ Maseo hissed urgently into his earpiece.

Frowning, Oliver anxiously pulled up the extraction program again, closing out the file he found from his father. He'd have to come back to that later. He had another more urgent problem on his hands at the moment. "I'm not done yet!" He hissed back. Just a few more seconds and he'd have what he needed.

 _"Get out of there! We can't risk you being seen!"_ Maseo said more urgently this time.

Done! It was done, and just in time. Pulling the USB from his mother's computer and shutting everything down to erase his tracks, Oliver scanned the room in a panic. He didn't have time to exit the floor before his unexpected visitor arrived, so he'd have to hide in the meantime. Spotting a secluded alcove just to the left of his mother's desk, he quickly placed himself behind the wall and stilled his body so he wouldn't accidentally move and give himself away.

"Oliver?!" A frantic, familiar voice rang out in the office.

 _Fuck..._ , he thought as his eyes slid shut and a pained grimace twisted his features.

"Oliver?!" She cried out into the office again, and he could hear her shuffling around the whole room searching for him.

He must have alerted her somehow when he used his unique login for the biometric scanner on his mother's computer. Of all the nights, Felicity just had to be working late tonight. Pressing himself further against the wall, he waiting until her searching halted, thankful she didn't bother to check his hiding spot. Slowly, when he felt it was safe, he peeked his head around the corner and instantly spotted her through the glass wall separating them.

She was sitting in his mother's chair now, her back hunched over, elbows resting on her legs, and her hands cradling her face. Squinting, he noticed the subtle shaking of her body and the way her back and chest expanded and contracted in harsh, ragged breaths. "Stupid program, stupid gut, stupid me." He heard her mumble angrily through her fingers.  
Oliver resisted the natural urge to let out a heavy sigh as he pressed his forehead into the cool marble adorning the wall in front of him. He was an ass, hiding from her like this, but he didn't have a choice. His hands were tied with this mission. So, he had no choice but to wait her out, no matter how painful it was to have her so close, and clearly in so much pain, but be unable to go to her.

Daring to lift his head and look at her again, his eyes went to her immediately. Even if he couldn't go to her, he wouldn't pass on the opportunity to just see her, as selfish as that was.

Slowly, Felicity uncurled herself, and the sight of a few remaining tears and the haggard look on her face made his chest tighten painfully. Her pain, and his role in causing that pain, was just another burden for him to bear. But, he couldn't look away. Maybe because this was his punishment for all the horrible things he had done since the Gambit's demise almost three years ago.

He watched her lift a heavy hand and pick up a picture from Moira's desk, and he didn't have to see it to know which one she'd picked up. "What a terrible picture of you." She huffed out with a watery laugh. Her lighter mood didn't last long though as he noticed fresh tears pooling in her eyes again.

"I miss you so much, and you have no idea."

 _I miss you too, every day, and every sleepless night._ He wanted to scream out.

"I would give anything to see you again... to know the life we could have had."

 _Don't say that._ His own eyes tearing up now.

"We all need you back... I need you back. Why couldn’t you have really been here tonight?" Tears freely falling again from her eyes as she hiccuped out the last few words.

_You don't need me. I'm so damaged Felicity. I'm not the same._

Wiping her tears with a few sniffles, Felicity carefully replaced the photo on Moira's desk and stood to leave. "I know you're still out there though, I can feel it now. And I refuse to give up. Just... just come home to me." She said with conviction and a longing glance at the photo.

He watched, with silent tears rolling down his cheeks, as Felicity took one final glance around the room before reluctantly departing. When he knew she was long gone, he leaned back heavily against the wall behind him and crumpled to the ground, utterly defeated by the scene he had just witnessed.

 _"Oliver?"_ A muffled voice came in his ear, but Oliver couldn't hear it over the loud thoughts running through his head.

He knew he shouldn't, he knew he was a broken man now, but now he wanted nothing more than to come home. Felicity never gave up on him, even after Hong Kong, and she still wanted him to come home... after all this time.

 _"Oliver, can you hear me?"_ The voice tried again to no avail.

Despite all his concerns, despite knowing he could never be the man Felicity wanted him to be, he was finally willing to risk it all to be with her again. He was done with this life he was being forced to live. Seeing Speedy and Tommy, being back in Starling again, and seeing just how much Felicity missed him and wanted him home was his undoing. Before today, he had thought his family and friends were better off without him, but seeing everything he had today told him that they were still struggling just as much as he was. It was long past time he go home, return to his family, and make things right again.

 _"Oliver!"_ Maseo's anxious voice finally rang out clearly in his ear.

"Yeah..?" Oliver croaked out, his voice still thick with so many emotions.

_"You need to get out of there while you can and meet me at the rendezvous point. We can't lose any more time. Do you copy?"_

Oliver was slowly starting to anger as Maseo reminded him of their mission. He was done, for good this time, and Waller could go to hell for all he cares. "Fine, I copy." Oliver replied shortly as he gathered himself up off the floor and made his way to his escape route.

He would get the information to Maseo, but after that, he was going home.

****

Of course, things never go to plan.

A few days after seeing Felicity in his mother's office at QC, Oliver was, somehow, still under Waller's thumb. At first it was a promise to finish his mission to apprehend Chen Na Wei, met with a promise from Waller to let Oliver go free after the mission. Then it was a promise to return him to Starling if he agreed to return to Hong Kong and debrief, because jurisdiction issues or some crap like that. Now, sitting anxiously on the military plane bound for Hong Kong, a feeling of dread settled in his stomach. For some reason, he got the feeling that he was a long way from going home.

He just hoped Felicity could wait a little longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments.
> 
> We're so close to the reunion I can taste it ;)


	15. Interlude: Year 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your feedback on the last chapter was amazing, seriously thank you guys! I know that scene is such a beloved scene for all of us, so I was slightly nervous adapting it. I wanted to do the original justice while weaving it into the relationship they have in this universe, and I'm glad that I didn't totally botch it haha.
> 
> I won't say too much about this chapter, but here's a Stephen to show you how excited I am for you guys to read this:
> 
>  
> 
>    
> Happy reading ;)

Slowly and shakily, his hand brought the gun to his head as his eyes slid shut painfully. Yao Fei was right. Whether this was all just in his head or not, he didn't deserve to go home and he was selfish for thinking that he did.

He had been responsible for the deaths of so many people, some innocent and some not. Despair washed over him as the drug Kovar injected him with made him relive every painful moment with blinding clarity: his father killing himself so he could live and right his wrongs, bludgeoning Fyres' soldier to death with a rock, Yao Fei sacrificing himself so he could survive, Shado dying in his place, young Akio dying far before his time because of his mistakes, the way he ruthlessly tortured General Shrieve, and finally Vlad and Taiana's deaths. And, most of them died because they got too close to him. Going home meant bringing that darkness with him, putting everyone in his radius in danger because everyone around him is doomed to pay for his mistakes. He couldn't do that to his mom, Thea, Tommy... Felicity.

Yao Fei's final words rang out in his head, _'Save them by making the same sacrifice I made for you.'_ His whole body shook as the drug continued induce unimaginable physical and psychological pain, causing his finger to shake on the trigger of the gun as he forced himself to curl his finger around it through the pain.

_"Oliver."_

A stray tear slipped out of his left eye. Her soft voice washed over him like a soothing wave that instantly eased his pain like only she could. He felt the faint zing of his soulmate's touch, that was nothing but a memory now, as her hand touched his holding the gun.

 _"Oliver, look at me."_ Her apparition whispered, the ghost of her warm touch on his jaw this time as she urged him to face her.

"Please don't Felicity." He croaked out, but his hand holding the gun was already slipping away from his temple. She wasn't real, but he didn't want to face even a hallucination of her after everything he's done.

 _"Oliver Jonas Queen. Look. At. Me."_ She instructed more firmly this time.

His face twisted painfully one last time before he slowly pried his eyes open, his head rolling to the right against the cell wall to face her. So beautiful. If he was about to die, he was happy that she was the last thing he would see. He took his time to memorize every detail so he would never forget what she looked like. What surprised him most about this Felicity, though, was the determination in her bright blue eyes.

 _"Come home."_ Two simple words, spoken with so much conviction from the only person who could even begin to reach the human part of him still. That alone almost made him give in, but Yao Fei's words still buzzed in the back of his mind somewhere.

With his gaze apologetic and pained, he shook his head. "I can't, Felicity. I can't put you all in danger. It's better for you all if you just let me go."

This only seemed to enrage her more as the fire of determination burned even brighter in her eyes. _"You don't really believe that, not for one second."_ She scolded, just like his Felicity would if she were actually here with him. And somewhere, deep down, he knew she was right. Her features softened, knowing he was at the breaking point and didn't need stern Felicity to push him anymore. _"We need you to come home Oliver. Your mom, Thea... they need you. Don't let your father's sacrifice be for nothing. Come home and_ live _again."_ She pleaded.

He stared at her for a long time, her words slowly chipping away at his previous convictions. His drug ridden brain managed to recall Felicity's similar words that she unknowingly spoke to him in his mother's office almost two years ago. She really wanted him to come home... his family really wanted him home again, no matter what he had been through or how damaged he was now.

Slowly a fire sparked inside of him. The will to live, the will to fight to get home flared to life again. His eyes still locked with Felicity's, he brought a hand up to touch her cheek, his mind conjuring up the briefest memory of her soft skin for him in that moment. Instantly, she smiled at him, knowing he was ready. _"I'll be waiting for you."_ Were her last, soft words before her apparition faded before his eyes.

He could feel the drug starting to fade from his system as he fought off the last of it's horrific effects. Clenching his teeth together, he lifted the hand with the gun again and used his only bullet to open the cell door, fighting against the lingering pain coursing through his body. Throwing the gun to the ground, he sat there for a moment longer as he gathered his strength to move again. He didn't have long before Kovar's men would come for him, so he had to move soon.

Taking a deep breath, he grunted painfully as he pulled himself up and staggered through the cell door.

He was going to live.

For all those who died so he could survive.

For Tommy.

For Thea.

For his mother.

And, most of all, for Felicity.

****

For some reason, Felicity felt anxious ever since she woke up this morning. It was one of those times where you're anxious and have no reason to be, but you just can't shake the feeling. She felt like something big was about to happen, and she didn't know if it was good or bad, that's what terrified her about the whole thing.

It didn't help either that she had another nightmare two nights ago, one of the worst ones since they first started almost five years ago now. This nightmare felt like it was all of the previous ones rolled into one horrible dream. The despair and the pain was so unbearable, and the physical pain all over her body that she woke up to was so horrible that she actually called into work sick the day before. Even now, she could still feel the faint throbbing in her right shoulder. The nightmares had never been that bad, so the timing of such a terrible dream combined with her heightened anxiousness had her uncharacteristically on edge all morning.

Weirder still, the whole office was buzzing in a way she'd never seen before. She had only been at work for maybe two hours, but she already knew something was definitely going on, even from her secluded office in the back of the IT Department. All the activity had her completely and utterly distracted too. Between her anxiousness, the lingering effects of the nightmare, and the buzz around the office, she hadn't been able to get an ounce of work done. So, that's why Felicity was still staring at her computer screen with a small frown, all of her tasks open but untouched, almost two hours after sitting down in her chair this morning.

What finally pulled her from her distracted thoughts was a commotion coming from her right as someone's loud footfalls approached her door, accompanied by frantic calls of 'Sorry', 'Excuse me', and 'Coming through'.

"Felicity...." A voice panted as the footfalls came to a halt at her door.

Turning to her arrival, she quirked a curious brow at the sight. There was Tommy, dressed in his usual business attire, doubled over and clutching her doorframe, panting like he had just run a marathon. Mild concern flooded her at the sight of Tommy so disheveled. "Tommy, is everything okay? Did you just run over here from Merlyn Global or something?"

"Felicity..." He huffed out again between pants. Finally finding enough energy, he tipped his head up to reveal his wild eyes to Felicity. "He's... he's... Oliver's alive."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehe the reunion is finally here!! I told you guys it was close ;)
> 
> Sooo... if you'll notice, I skipped his fourth year away. Honestly, there wasn't much to cover/adapt that would really add anything to what I've already told you about both Oliver and Felicity over the years apart. That and I was just as eager as you guys for Olicity good times to start.
> 
> As a heads up, the story returns to it's usual style after this, so back to longer chapters. Yay! What that also means is no more short update times :/. However, I'm super excited to get into the next phase of this story, so that will definitely motivate me to get you guys the next chapter as soon as I can.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, and as always I'd love to hear your thoughts!


	16. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh, I'm alive!! I can't apologize enough for how long it took to get this chapter to you guys. Of course life had to get crazy right before the one chapter you guys have all been looking forward. Technically, I've had this chapter written for a while, but I had a sports training camp from 9 am - 4 pm every day for the last seven days, and I literally had no energy in the evenings to get this edited and posted haha. Now that camp is over though, I'm back and the reunion is finally upon us!
> 
> Happy reading everyone :)

The drive over to Starling General from Queen Consolidated was the longest 15 minutes of Felicity's life.

Right after Tommy said that Oliver was alive, he informed Felicity that apparently they found him a few days ago on a deserted island in the North China Sea where he had survived on his own for five years, and he had just arrived at Starling General this morning straight from Beijing. It took Felicity a minute to process exactly what Tommy was saying, but the second she did she immediately shut her computer down and jumped out of her seat like it was on fire. She knew her boss wasn't going to be happy about her disappearing for the day, especially after taking a sick day the day before, but she didn't care. Oliver was alive, and she wasn't going to waste another minute being apart from him.

Sitting in the passenger seat of her little Mini Cooper (turns out Tommy really did run to QC from Merlyn Global), her right knee bounced up and down anxiously as her fingers toyed with the hem of her light grey dress. Tommy had offered to drive knowing how distracted Felicity would be by the news, but just sitting there, doing nothing, was excruciating for Felicity. She actually wished she had something to distract her from all the thoughts buzzing around in her head.

Sensing her anxiety, Tommy, who was surprisingly calm, reached out a hand placed it on one of Felicity's fidgeting hands reassuringly. "It really is him this time, I know it." He assured with a little squeeze of her hand.

She turned an uncertain smile to Tommy who returned it with a sideways grin. "It's not that I'm worried about this time..." She trailed off as she tried to pinpoint exactly what worried her so much. "I've dreamed of this day for five years, but... what if he doesn't feel the same way about me anymore? What if he doesn't want to see me? It's been a long time Tommy." She mumbled out meekly as they pulled into the Starling General parking lot.

After putting the car in park and handing Felicity her keys again, Tommy turned in his seat to face her. "Not only are you two soulmates, but you guys are best friends first and foremost, Felicity. Why wouldn't he want to see you?" Tommy more stated than asked with a reassuring smile before unbuckling himself and opening his door. "Now, let's get you to him."

Opening her own door and heading towards the crowd of reporters stationed around the entrance to Starling General, Felicity went uncharacteristically silent as her nerves still got the best of her, despite Tommy's assurances. The way the reporters hounded them, forcing Tommy to curl Felicity under his arm protectively as they pushed through to the entrance, didn't help either. She was suddenly overwhelmed by the noise around her, her racing thoughts, and the fluctuating emotions she was experiencing. The only thing getting her through was her undeniable need to just see him and to know he was really alive.

By the time they made it up to the floor his room was on though, it was clear she might not even get that wish. Approaching the attendant on his floor, with Felicity still clinging to her brother for support, Tommy flashed the woman one of his charming smiles. "Hi, we're here to see Oliver Queen."

The attendant gave Tommy an unimpressed glare at his attempt to charm her before shaking her head at them. "I'm sorry, but due to Mr. Queen's high profile nature we're not allowing anyone but a pre-approved list of family members to see him."

Panic flooded Felicity as she quickly extracted herself from under Tommy's arm and gripped the desk desperately. "Please Ms... Roberts, I really need to see him. If you just ask him, I promise he'll let us come visit him. We're family friends, I swear." Felicity pleaded frantically, her need to see him becoming more urgent, easily overriding her nerves now.

"Ms. Roberts, please see to it that both of them are put on the list." Moira's cool, commanding voice instructed as she stepped up next to Tommy and Felicity.

"Mrs. Queen..?" The attendant started curiously, but Moira brought a hand up to silence her, sending a reassuring smile to Felicity before turning back to deal with the attendant. "It was an oversight on my part that they weren't on the list in the first place. Please put them on the list. My son will definitely want to see them." She instructed again, leaving no room for argument, and within minutes Tommy and Felicity had visitor badges that allowed them to see Oliver.

With that settled, Moira turned a softer gaze to both Tommy and Felicity. "I'm so pleased you both are here. He'll be happy to see you." She said, sounding more tired than either Felicity or Tommy expected for the usually composed Moira Queen. Then again, it's not every day your son returns from the dead. "Tommy, can I have a minute with Felicity while I take her to see him?" She requested.

Tommy glanced to Felicity who gave him a shaky nod of assurance. "Of course, Mrs. Queen. Text me or come find me if you need anything. Don't hog all his time, okay sis?" He teased, trying to ease Felicity's nerves.

Offering him a small laugh, Felicity nodded gratefully before heading off towards Oliver's room with Moira. The pair walked in silence the whole way to his door where Moira placed a hand on Felicity's arm to stop her before she walked in. When Felicity turned to face the Queen matriarch, she was surprised by the sadness in her eyes. "I just wanted to prepare you before you go in there. He's... not the same, Felicity. I don't know what happened to him on that island, but he's clearly been through a lot." She advised with a heavy heart, tenderly squeezing Felicity's arm.

Felicity was sure she wore her emotions on her sleeve because her stomach dropped at Moira's words, and her face must have reflected her fear of what awaited her because Moira gave a knowing smile. "I know he is going to be very happy to see you. He hasn't changed that much, dear. I just wanted you to be prepared is all." Moira assured before releasing Felicity's arm with one last small smile. "Now, go to my son and be there for him. He's going to need you."

Felicity nodded frantically with wide, slightly fearful eyes. "Of course, yes, thank you." She babbled out quickly, her nerves quickly mounting in anticipation. Moira smiled softly and patted Felicity's arm affectionately before finally leaving Felicity alone in front of his door. Staring at the door for a long moment, she felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest. Taking a deep breath and laying her hand on the handle, she braced herself for what awaited her on the other side as she slowly pushed the door open.

Whatever she thought to expect, this was not it. As a matter of fact, she was almost stunned by the sight before her. He was up and on his feet, staring pensively out the window with his arms crossed over his chest (...his very broad chest), pulling the white t-shirt taught across his muscled back that faced her. Gulping and wetting her lips, she stared at the man before her without shame. This was not what she expected of someone who had supposedly survived on a deserted island for five years. For a minute, the sight was so surprising that she wasn't sure this man before her was really Oliver.

"Oliver?" She whispered hesitantly into the quiet room.

He spun around immediately, his surprised and hopeful eyes instantly meeting hers. "Felicity?" He breathed out in surprise as his arms fell to his side.

Her breath left her all at once as her eyes instantly teared up. It was him. It was really him. The only difference was that the boyish Oliver she remembered was replaced by the chiseled, hardened man standing before her. But, despite the obvious physical differences, it was still her Oliver. Gulping nervously, she held his gaze as she slowly, almost tentatively, made her way over to him until they were almost toe-to-toe.

Now that she was here, finally reunited with him, she suddenly had no idea what to do or how to act. So, she just stared at him for a long time, drinking in the man before her with hungry eyes. He seemed to be just as unsure because he just stood there, letting his eyes roam over her face as he memorized every detail. Slowly, Felicity lifted her right hand towards him, but it stopped just short as she second guessed whether or not it was okay to touch him. Though her body craved physical contact with him, she had no idea what he was comfortable with any more.

When his eyes finally came back to her own after their lengthy perusal, he seemed to instantly notice the hesitancy in her gaze, as if asking him permission. Not saying another word just yet, he lifted his left hand, covering her small hand in his larger one to tell her it was okay. She didn't miss the small breath he sucked in the moment their hands touched, or the way her own heart fluttered rapidly at his touch and the instant tingle she felt on her skin that only soulmate's touch could cause. Slowly, she brought her hand to rest on his chest, just over his rapidly beating heart. Though he was clearly alive and well right before her eyes, it was another thing to feel something as real as his heart beating just under her fingertips.

The thumb of his hand still covering hers gently stroked the soft skin of her fingers as his eyes slid shut briefly at her touch. "Hey, Felicity." He breathed out more confidently this time and in a way that sounded like he was caressing her name, tasting it on his tongue, just appreciating the sound of it again.

The sound of her name on his lips, almost like a prayer, triggered something in her. She couldn't hold back anymore. She had waited five years for this. Sliding her hand up his chest, she finally wrapped her arms around his neck, tucking her head into his neck as the tears finally cascaded down her cheeks.

Oliver let out a shaky breath when she wrapped herself around him, and his broad arms instantly wound around her waist to pull her close as he buried his nose in her hair, just breathing her in and savoring everything about this moment.

"You're really home." Felicity sobbed into his neck, her tears already creating a significant wet spot on the shirt the hospital must have lent him as she clutched him tighter, unwilling to let go now that she had him back. The feeling of actually being in his arms again, with his whole body curling around her tiny frame so perfectly, was way better than the faint memory of him she clung to for all these years. It just felt so... right.

"I'm really home, Felicity." He echoed into her hair, still drawing out her name on his tongue like he would never get tired of saying it over and over again, and even sounding slightly disbelieving himself.

They stayed like that for a while, just wrapped around each other, as Felicity continued to cry softly into his neck. It wasn't just happy tears, but tears brought on by a myriad of emotions all bubbling to the surface at once: happiness, relief, despair, and even love.

Eventually, her tears quieted, but she still held onto him tightly, unwilling to even move an inch away from him just yet. "I missed you so much." She breathed out against his neck, her fingers subconsciously playing with the now short hairs at the base of his neck, eliciting a small shiver from him at her affectionate touch.

Oliver was quiet for a minute after she whispered those words. Finally, she felt him press a soft kiss into her hair, holding his lips there for a few seconds. "I missed you too." He admitted softly.

She knew now was not the time to overthink things, and that she should be relieved that he had missed her, but his slight hesitation nudged her insecurities. Biting her lip uncertainly, Felicity started to reluctantly pull away from their embrace, but Oliver's arms tightening around her waist stopped her. "Don't. Not yet." He breathed into her hair, subtly curling himself around her a little more like he was trying to shield her in his embrace.

Her heart melted at that. She wasn't ready to let go either. All she wanted was to hold him all day long, because she secretly feared if she let him go he would disappear again. But, she couldn't fight the uncertainty creeping up in the back of her mind. So much had happened to both of them in the last five years, and though she still loved him, that is exactly what made her so uncertain. She didn't know where they would go from here, and they had so much to talk about, but at the same time she didn't want to push him so soon after his return.

As though he could feel the uncertainty thrumming through her body, Oliver pulled back slightly to look into her eyes again. Bringing a gentle hand up to cup her face, his eyes probed hers for a minute as he tried to figure out what had changed to make her so hesitant all of the sudden. His thumb stroked her cheek soothingly, pulling a slight smile from Felicity at the gentle caress. "Hey, talk to me, Felicity. What's going on in that head of yours." He urged softly, tapping her temple with his finger affectionately.

Felicity held his gaze, the wheels turning furiously in her head. After a silent minute, Felicity unwound one arm from around his neck, gently cupping his hand on her cheek. "Not yet." She said, echoing his earlier sentiment. "We have plenty of time to talk later." She added with a grin that crinkled her eyes. She was just so happy to have him back, and this wasn't the time to rush into labeling what they are to each other now. For now, she just wanted to enjoy having her best friend back and a second chance with her soulmate.

She could instantly see the relief wash over him at that, but she still saw the mild concern in his gaze. He was probably worried that whatever Felicity wasn't telling him was something serious. Lacing her fingers through his on her cheek, she pulled his hand away before rising to her tiptoes and leaning in to brush her lips over his cheek. Letting her lips linger for a moment, she wanted him to feel through her touch just how much she still cared for him. After being apart for so long, she wanted him to hear it too so that he had absolutely no doubts about where she stood. Pressing her cheek against his scruffy jaw, she leaned forward a bit more to whisper in his ear. "I want you to know that nothing has changed for me. If there's one thing I know after the last five years, it's that I never stopped loving you. So, I'm here Oliver. I'm not going anywhere. You don't need to say anything just yet. I just wanted you to know."

She felt him suck in a shaky breath at her confession. He must have been just as unsure as she was about all of this. She felt him pull his hand from hers, and she panicked momentarily that he was going to pull away, that maybe she had said too much too soon and scared him off. She instantly relaxed against him though when she felt his arm come around her waist again, hugging her tighter than ever. A relieved smile tugged at her lips as she wound her arm around his neck again, savoring how natural this felt.

"Thank you." He whispered shakily into her ear, and Felicity was sure she felt one single tear land on her shoulder. That was all she needed. She didn't need his words, or a premature attempt from him to verbally convey his feelings. Those two little words and his embrace spoke volumes to her about what her confession meant to him. Their relationship was probably the biggest unknown for him upon returning home, so Felicity's words had to have taken that weight off his shoulders.

Felicity didn't know how long they stayed like that, just holding each other, but she felt Oliver start to shift one of his hands after sometime. Thinking he was ready to end the embrace, she was surprised when he slowly slid it up her back, his fingertips tracing up her spine and back down a few times. Her heart fluttered, fresh tears welling up in her eyes when she realized just what he was doing. He was stroking her soulmark.

After a few more strokes, Felicity felt his arms relax around her. Reading the signal, she slowly eased out of the embrace, putting a little distance between them until they were about a foot apart. Looking up into his eyes, a grin curled her lips when she saw the most beautiful, toothy grin on his own face. It was the first time he smiled since she entered the room, and she knew it must have taken a lot because he looked like a man that didn't have much to smile about in the last five years. And, for a minute, he looked so young and just... happy. "I'm going to go get Tommy. I promised him I wouldn't hog all of your time." She joked.

To her surprise, he huffed out a small laugh at that, her grin only widening at seeing him relaxing finally. "I'm glad to see he hasn't changed much." He commented, that small smile still lingering on his lips. She didn't make to leave just yet though, their eyes remaining locked as they fell into a comfortable silence. Both of them just smiled at the other for another minute, basking in the fact that everything would be okay... that _they_ would be okay.

Clearing her throat, realizing she had probably been staring for too long, Felicity broke the eye contact finally to go retrieve Tommy as promised. Moving to the door, she couldn't help but turn back to him one last time. Her fluttered in her chest when she looked at him. She still couldn't believe it was really him, that he was standing there right before her eyes. "I'll be right outside." She offered reassuringly with a bright smile, seeing the slight apprehension in his eyes at the thought of her leaving. Only when she saw his shoulder's visibly relax did she give him one final parting smile before leaving his room to search for Tommy.

****

_Later That Evening_

Stepping out of the private car, he turned to face the grand doors of the Queen mansion. For a long moment he couldn't look away, slightly overwhelmed by it all. Sure he had come to Starling in secret almost two years ago, but things were different now. He didn't have to look over his shoulder anymore. He didn't have to hide. He could finally walk through those doors again as Oliver Queen.

"Oliver, sweetie, are you okay?" His mom asked tentatively when he'd been staring off into space for a little too long without moving.

Blinking a few times to bring himself back to reality, he threw her the tiniest of smiles. "Yeah, Mom. It's just good to be home..." He trailed off, his eyes glancing longingly at the door again before he finally moved around to the trunk of the car. Popping it, a dark look passed over his face briefly as he hefted out his large wooden trunk and followed after his Mom as she lead the way into the house. _How poetic_ , he thought as he set the trunk down in the large foyer. Though he was still Oliver Queen, carrying that trunk through those doors was the physical proof that a part of himself was permanently changed by the events of the last five years.

"Ollie?" A hopeful voice called from the top of the stairs leading up to the living quarters.

Turning to his left and glancing up, the second genuine smile since he'd returned tugged at his lips instantly. "Hey Speedy." He said softly. He couldn't believe how much she had grown when he saw her from afar all those years ago, but somehow she seemed even more grown up now. That thought tugged painfully at his heart. He had missed out on so much of her young life, and now a grown woman had replaced his once adorable baby sister.

The first tears fell from her eyes as she bound down the stairs, crashing into him in the blink of an eye and with so much force that he even stumbled slightly. Her slim arms wrapped themselves around his waist, holding on for dear life, and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, a small smile still lingering on his lips. He had really missed Thea and worried about her a lot over the last few years.

"You called me Speedy..." She whispered hoarsely into his chest, sniffling a few times before pulling back slightly to look at him with teary eyes. He gave her a puzzled look, tilting his head slightly and raising a curious brow. "No one calls me Speedy anymore, not since you..." She trailed off, dropping her eyes to his chest as she fought off more tears.

 _Fuck_ , he chastised. He had already gone an upset his sister not even five minutes after coming through the door. Changing the direction of the conversation, he grasped Thea's shoulders and stepped back, holding her at arms length. "Let me get a good look at you. I can't believe how much you've grown." He praised with a smile, the awe apparent in his tone as he took the opportunity to really observe her.

Wiping her tears away quickly, she tilted her head up to him with a bright smile. "What about you. I don't know what happened to you while you were gone, but I bet Felicity likes this new look, doesn't she?" Thea suggested not so innocently as she squeezed and admired one of his large biceps with a wicked smile.

He recoiled slightly with a puzzled frown. "What...?" He started to ask Thea what she meant before Moira cleared her throat behind them.

"Thea, let your brother breath a little. He only just walked through the door." She suggested not so subtly with a pointed look. "Oliver, you can take your things to your room. It's exactly as you left it, your room that is. Take your time to get settled in again. We're having a family dinner at 6, and I had Raisa prepare all of your favorites." Moira added with a smile, clearly happy to have Oliver back.

Thea spun to face Moira with a pout, her retort dying on her tongue when Moira fixed her with a firm look. Oliver watched the whole exchange with a slight smile. Though Thea had physically grown up, he was glad to see that she hadn't lost any of her characteristic spark that he loved so much about her. She was still only seventeen after all. "Don't worry, Oliver will be here for dinner, so you can bother him some more then. Now, come and do your homework Thea." Moira instructed, leaving no room for Thea to argue, before taking her leave.

Thea huffed out an annoyed sigh before turning back to Oliver. Throwing her arms around him one last time, he felt her lean heavily into his sturdy frame, like she needed to feel him support her. "I'm so happy you're home, Ollie." She said happily, giving him one last big squeeze before following after Moira. He watched her go with a soft smile. It was so surreal, being able to hold his little sister again like nothing had happened.

Pulling himself from his thoughts, he picked up the large trunk and let his feet carry him down the familiar path to his room. Opening up the solid mahogany door, his breath left him when he saw his room in near pristine condition. His mom wasn't kidding when she said they hadn't changed anything. It was like going back in time, and the sight chipped at his resolve. It was just another reminder of how much he had changed while some things stayed the same around him.

Stepping into the room, he dropped the heavy trunk at the foot of his bed before moving around his room, refamiliarizing himself with the space and occasionally running his hand reverently over familiar objects. During his exploration, his nightstand caught his eye, specifically the empty wooden frame still propped up next to his lamp. With a wry smile, Oliver moved back over to his trunk. Kneeling down, he unlocked the trunk and gently lifted the lid open. Right on top, next to his father's notebook, was the original occupant of the frame. Plucking the photo from the trunk, he gazed at it longingly as he moved over to sit on his bed near his nightstand.

Caressing the worn photo with his thumb, his eyes looked over the scene before him that he was sure he had every detail of memorized at this point. It was fitting that this photo was the only memory of his past life that had survived the entire journey with him. The only part of him that had never changed, after all the darkness he was exposed to, was how much he cared for all of them: Tommy, Thea, and Felicity. Especially Felicity.

Another smile tugged at his lips as he grabbed the frame and tucked the photo back into its rightful place. His reunion with Felicity this morning still made him smile whenever he thought about it. He remembered the way he almost didn't believe his ears when he heard her call out his name, the way his brain almost convinced him she was another hallucination when his eyes landed on her, and ultimately the moment a sense of calm swept over him when he realized she was real, that she was really there. He could still feel the faint tingle all over his body from holding her small frame in his arms again - a feeling that far surpassed the memory of the same sensation he had dreamed of almost every night for the last five years. And hearing her say those words, words he had so desperately needed to hear but was afraid to ask for, that she still loved him, gave him hope. Maybe, despite all that he had done and all that he still had to do to save Starling, there was hope for them.

Placing the re-framed photo back on his nightstand, his smile dropped slightly when he glanced back to the trunk. Trudging back over to it, he stared down at father's notebook lying innocently on top of his other supplies, a tense frown marring his brow now. He didn't know if it was going to be possible to reconcile being with Felicity and being a vigilante, and maybe this was naïve, but he vowed to try. If their reunion earlier proved anything to him, it was that he wouldn't be able to stay away from Felicity, no matter how much safer she might be if he did distance himself from her.

Carefully shutting the lid, he locked it back up and slid the trunk under his bed for the time being. While he was anxious to set up his operation and start crossing names off the list, for now he would try to enjoy one night with his family - he owed them that much.

****

Oliver thought he could play the perfect son for his family, but dinner proved to him that it just wasn't possible. Too much had changed, both for him and his family. They tried to pretend like nothing had happened, like Oliver hadn't just come back from the dead. They all staunchly avoided questioning Oliver about his last five years, most likely at his mother's request, tentatively dancing around the subject as they tried to fill him in on very superficial details of their own lives. That proved to be a futile effort as the conversation dissolved into uncomfortable silence.

Then, his mom announced that she hoped he would consider taking a job at QC immediately, presumably so he could prepare to inherit the company. Once upon a time, he would have done just that. He had been prepared to follow that expected path before the island happened. But now, he knew he couldn't complete his father's mission _and_ prepare to inherit the family business, and it wasn't fair to his mother to let her believe he was ready either. So, Oliver had quickly put an end to that conversation by shortly declaring that he would think about it.

The final straw, though, was the realization that Walter was more than just a dinner guest. He liked Walter, he really did. Oliver fondly recalled all the times he snuck into Walter's office as a child when he was bored waiting for his father to finish up work. But it was the truth at the heart of it all that felt like a hot knife stabbing him in the chest. They didn't have to say it explicitly, but Oliver knew that they were soulmates. It was in the little gestures and looks Walter and his mom shared. He recognized it because he knew from experience now what the soulmate connection looked like to the naked eye. The minute he realized that, he made an abrupt and certainly rude exit from dinner. He had always assumed his mom and dad were soulmates – he never had a reason to question it. But now, he felt like his entire life had been a lie.

What actually bothered him the most was that it seemed like his father had been forgotten and they had all just moved on. He knew it was unrealistic to expect that they would still be mourning him, but the way they acted like nothing ever happened... He couldn't put a finger on why, but the whole thing irked him to no end.

In his anger, he found himself upstairs in his room again, flipping through the pages of his father's notebook at his desk. He still had a mission to complete, and the recent revelations only made him more eager to begin his work to honor his father's dying wish. He just needed his first target...

A soft knock came at his door though, interrupting his thoughts. Frowning in frustration, Oliver closed the book and temporarily tucked it in one of the desk drawers. "Yeah?" He called out to his visitor, trying his best to mask his annoyance.

The door creaked open to, thankfully, reveal Thea on the other side. Wordlessly, she entered his room, shutting the door behind her before coming over to sit on the edge of his bed across from where he was seated at his desk. What concerned Oliver was the thoughtful frown on her face and her unusual silence. Clearly something was on her mind.

"You really have changed, haven't you." She stated shortly. The way her face contorted slightly, like she had eaten something sour, told him it pained her to say those words. "What happened to you on that island, Ollie?" She asked desperately, finally looking at him with those sad eyes of hers.

He sighed heavily, scrubbing a hand over his face. Apparently his antics at dinner must have left an impression on her, and he knew she was just desperate to understand what she had seen at dinner, but he couldn't answer her. He didn't want his baby sister to look at him differently, and he knew she would if he told her the truth. Fortunately, he didn't have to answer her just yet because she pressed on.

"Never mind... I promised Mom I wouldn't ask." She mumbled dejectedly, casting her gaze to the ground briefly.

Oliver rubbed the thumb and index finger of his left hand together anxiously as he watched his sister. He wanted nothing more than to tell her that he hadn't changed, that he was still her big brother Ollie. But, he couldn't lie to her like that. So, he sat there fidgeting silently, unable to find the right words just yet, and just hoping she would understand that his behavior wasn't because he didn't love her.

It surprised him though when he saw her eyes light up suddenly. His eyes observed her closely, looking for any sign as to what changed her mood so suddenly as she looked back at him with eager eyes. "Did you see Felicity yet?" She asked out of the blue.

His brows pinched together curiously. This was the second time she had mentioned Felicity today. He wouldn't have thought anything of it, but Thea mentioning Felicity so frequently seemed to be intentional. "Yeah, I did. She came to see me at the hospital." He offered slowly, still unsure as to where this was going.

A big smile curled Thea's lips at this knowledge as she clasped her hands together. "Aw, that's so romantic!" She nearly squealed, only making Oliver more confused.

"I know that you guys are soulmates, Ollie. Don't act so surprised." She explained with a playful roll of her eyes, clearly picking up on his confusion. But, just as suddenly as her happy mood had appeared, Thea's mood turned somber again and her eyes unfocused slightly as her mind drifted off to somewhere else. "She told us a few years ago. I mean, she thought you died, Ollie... we all did. We were all confused at first when she took your death especially hard." Thea trailed off.

Oliver sucked in a harsh breath. He didn't expect her to keep their soulmate status a secret necessarily, but that wasn't what drew the reaction from him. It was that Thea was about to give him the insight into Felicity's last few years that he craved to know. "What do you mean, Speedy?" He choked out, not even bothering to hide the desperation to know more in his voice.

"She disappeared for a long time after it happened. It took her a while to come to terms with your death, and she only told us why after she came back home." She explained cryptically, only leaving Oliver with more questions than answers. He started to ask Thea what she meant by the fact that Felicity disappeared, but Thea shook her head solemnly. "You should talk to her about this, not me. When you're ready to hear her story, just ask her."

Slumping back against his chair, Oliver breathed out a pained sigh. He hadn't been so naive as to assume that his supposed death wasn't difficult for Felicity – he knew that much when he saw her in Hong Kong. He just didn't know how deep her pain went, and he could tell by Thea's tone and expression that it had taken its toll on Felicity over the years.  
"She loved you so much, Ollie. She still does. What ever happened to you on that island... just... don't hurt her, okay? She needs you as much as you need her, and it would break her if you pushed her away after she just got you back." She begged, the urgency of her request apparent in her gaze.

Oliver's mouth dropped open slightly. Who was this smart young woman who had replaced his carefree baby sister? It was like she knew, somehow, that he had been contemplating his relationship with Felicity mere hours ago. "Thea..." He started softly, entirely unsure of what to say.

"Promise me, Ollie." She beseeched more firmly now.

Oliver regarded his sister for a moment before slowly nodding. Though he still had no idea what the future held for him and Felicity, he could agree on one thing: the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. He could tell Thea that much.

He brought his determined eyes up to meet Thea's concerned gaze so she could see that he really meant what he was about to say. "I promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully that lived up to the hype! With the reunions out of the way, the plot will start to unfold in the next chapter so get excited.
> 
> As always, let me know what you guys think. I adore hearing your thoughts on each and every chapter!


	17. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, this is - I think - my longest chapter to date! A lot happens, so buckle up kids. As always, thank you so much for all the love on the last chapter! I know how much you all looked forward to their reunion so I hope it lived up to the expectation at least a little bit.
> 
> So, I also got a creative/bored one weekend and I fashioned a poster for this fic! It's not the best (blame my amateur Photoshop skills), but I just thought it would a fun visual addition to the story.
> 
> Happy reading :)

Clicking away at the keys on her keyboard, Felicity gnawed at her favorite red pen as her eyes scanned over her screen intently. Though it looked like she was diligently working to anyone who would pass by her office, the way her brows were scrunched together and her gaze was glued a little too intently to her screen indicated that she was forcing herself to focus.

It had been a few days since Oliver's return, and she hadn't heard from him or seen him since their reunion at the hospital. She knew he needed time to settle in, and that nothing happened during their reunions to indicate he would want to avoid her. Regardless, a little tendril of doubt nagged her in the back of her mind, hence the overly forced attempt to focus this morning. Not to mention Felicity hated being apart from him like this, most likely caused their connection trying to subtly draw them together - something she started listening for now that she knew it wasn't severed like she had previously assumed.

Continuing to work away, Felicity chewed a little more anxiously on her poor pen as she shoved those thoughts out of her head for the umpteenth time this morning. She needed to trust in their connection and trust that he would reach out soon... no matter how badly she craved to see him again. Thankfully, forcing herself to focus eventually did the trick because she slowly lost herself in her coding, completely shutting out the world for a little while.

Sometime later (probably close to lunch time since her stomach grumbled angrily at her), a firm knock came at her partially closed door, pulling her attention from her work.

"Felicity Smoak."

Spinning around in her chair, her breath caught in her throat and a bright grin tugged at her lips as she extracted the pen from between her teeth to greet her guest.

It was an odd sight, seeing Oliver standing so casually in her little office, but it definitely wasn't an unwelcome one. He looked so unbelievably handsome in his dark blue jeans and grey Henley - he looked like a new man compared to the Oliver she saw in that hospital room. She could still see the dark circles under his eyes, but other than that he looked a little more adjusted and alive than he had just a few days ago.

"Hey." She breathed out, the big grin on her face never wavering as she just stared at him, pure relief washing over her at his appearance. She hadn't realized just how much she missed him until he was here in front of her again.

"Hey." He replied just as softly, an unbidden grin tugging at his lips when their gazes locked.

After holding each other's gaze for a minute longer than was probably socially acceptable in public, Oliver broke the contact first to look around the small office, stepping a little further into the space. "You think my mother would have given you a nicer office." He commented teasingly, his gaze coming back to hers after his perusal.

When Felicity got over the shock of hearing Oliver joking with her, she let out a small snort at that, the grin on her lips widening even more if possible. "Trust me, she tried." Felicity joked back with a playful shrug. "I just didn't think it would be fair since I'm technically only an entry level IT employee - though I'm the hardest worker in the department, if I do say so myself."

His lips pinched together thoughtfully, nodding slowly in understanding. Sliding his hands nervously into his pockets, he shuffled slightly on his feet. "That's actually part of the reason why I wanted to come see you."

Felicity's brow pinched together briefly before she tilted her head slightly and raised a curious brow at him. "I don't understand." She prompted slowly. Her heart fluttered nervously as she waited for his response.

"Since you're brilliant with technology, and I'm hopelessly abysmal after being without a phone for the last five years, I was hoping you wouldn't mind going shopping with me for a new phone and laptop." He suggested before nervously shuffling around again. "And then, I was hoping to take you to lunch because I just wanted to see you." He added softly with an almost shy smile.

A small smile tugged at her lips again as her shoulders relaxed slightly. She felt stupid for worrying, but everything was still so up in the air between them. She couldn't deny that it was relieving to know that he wanted to see her and spend some time with her. "I'd love to go to lunch with you." She stated happily before a mischievous glint flickered in her eyes. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into with the tech shopping though. I take it very seriously." She teased with a devious grin.

He shrugged and huffed out a small laugh. "Just point me in the right direction and I'll buy whatever you tell me to. I trust you, Felicity." His eyes conveying that he was more than serious about that last statement, despite the light tone with which he spoke.

Her heart fluttered again, something she was slowly realizing she just needed to get used to when Oliver was around. Those little gestures and statements that gave her those brief glimpses under the walls he had constructed over the last five years meant so much to her when she knew he was still readjusting to normal life again.

Quickly shutting down her work station for the time being, she gathered up her things before rising to her feet, eager for her outing with Oliver. Stepping up next to him, a content smile tugged at her lips as his scent and presence washed over her. It still astounded her, the little ways their connection worked, namely how much more at ease she always was when he was near. "Ready?" She asked quietly.

Smiling down at her briefly with a nod, he pulled the door open, letting her out first before following close behind as they made their way through the IT Department together towards the elevators. Though she tried to ignore it, Felicity could feel the eyes of her co-workers follow them through the department. She had never made the extent of her connection with the Queen family public, so the sight of Oliver accompanying her and standing quite close, would most certainly cause a stir.

Glancing back at Oliver nervously to see if he had noticed, her brows drew together briefly. He seemed tense... more tense than he had been in the close quarters of her office when it was just them. His eyes were darting all around them to the various employees watching them, and his face was pulled into a carefully crafted mask of neutrality. The attention must be making him nervous. Biting her lip, she gingerly lifted the hand nearest him, gently touching the tips of her fingers to his arm, hoping her touch would reassure him, even if just a little.

Though her fingers only ghosted over his arm, so subtly that those around them wouldn't even notice, Oliver's eyes instantly swiveled to her. His body didn't relax immediately, but she saw the grateful look in his eyes. The corner of her mouth ticked up into a brief smile for him to show that she understood.

They walked quietly the rest of the way to the elevator after that brief interaction, and she could feel Oliver slowly relaxing the further away they got from prying eyes. When she went to press the down button for the elevator, she paused momentarily before pressing the button and then turning to him. "I just realized, I have no idea how we're getting around today." She laughed. "We can take my car, if you want? Since I'm taking you to my favorite tech store, and I'm pretty sure you don't know how to get there. Then we can drive around a little if you want, see some of Starling before we get lunch. Oh! I just thought of the perfect place for lunch." She babbled nervously, a bright smile lighting up her face when their lunch destination popped into her mind.

Oliver's eyes crinkled slightly when he grinned at her as she babbled at him. Seeing that almost nostalgic smile on his face and the way he was just looking at her made her realize that she had just babbled for the first time in years. Of course her horrible childhood habit would be resurrected by Oliver's presence. "That sounds perfect." He confirmed just as a soft ding alerted them that the elevator had arrived. "Lead the way." He said, gesturing for her to enter the elevator before him.

With a shy smile, Felicity stepped into the elevator, pressing the button for her floor of the parking garage. Clearly they weren't just going to fall back into their old level of familiarity – too much had changed for that to happen. Hopefully, though, they would both relax a little as their outing progressed and as they got familiar with one another again.

****

Shopping for Oliver's new phone and laptop had been surprisingly pleasant. While Felicity happily ran around the store in search for the perfect items for him, Oliver had seemed content to simply follow her around, giving her the space do what she does best. He never really said much, and what few words he did say were mostly to gently remind Felicity to not overdo things on a few occasions. Felicity never really seemed to mind his silence either because she could feel that he wasn't uncomfortable like he had been earlier leaving QC. She knew he was just enjoying their outing in his own way.

Now that Oliver was properly outfitted with some new tech to help him become a functioning member of society again, the pair were seated in her little Mini Cooper once again as they made their way across town towards the Glades. The closer they got to their destination, which Felicity had chosen not to disclose so that it was a surprise, the more she noticed Oliver's hulking form tensing next to her though.

Glancing over at him quickly, worry caused her brow to crease slightly as she swung her gaze back to the road again. Oliver's eyes were intently watching the scenery pass by around them, but it was the way his brow weighed heavily with a dark frown that worried her most. Though she figured he was just confused by how much the Glades deteriorated in such a short amount of time, a nervous feeling settled in the pit of her stomach that there might be more to his reaction than meets the eye.

"What happened?" Oliver eventually asked with a slight edge to his words. Felicity didn't need clarification to know exactly what he was asking about.

"It's bad, isn't it?" Felicity commented sadly, her own gaze ticking around the deserted, rundown streets as she made her observation. "The rich got richer, the poor poorer, and nobody bothered to step in and help those in need. Most people avoid the Glades like the plague these days, well if you're lucky enough that is." She explained as she made a few more turns, taking them by an old Queen Consolidated steel mill as they skirted along the edge of the Glades on the way to their destination.

Oliver went silent for a moment, his eyes and head swiveling to stay focused on the abandoned mill as they passed by, and Felicity could feel his attention disappearing elsewhere in that moment. Once it was in their rear-view mirror, he turned back to her with a curious look. "So, why are we in the Glades then?"

Felicity shrugged with a slight smile. "There's still a few good places here, and this one holds a lot of memories." She answered cryptically before they both fell silent again for the short remainder of the drive.

Not minutes later, Felicity pulled up in front of an old brick building. As she was turning the car off, she heard his deep inhale and looked over to see his gaze transfixed on the building they had arrived at. Nestled in between two shattered, beaten up storefronts was a small little hole in the wall pizzeria that was still remarkably untouched – one of the few intact buildings still left on this particular block.

"Is... is this okay?" She asked nervously. This little unassuming store front held a lot of memories for them from their lives before the Gambit's demise, but - with the relative peace and quiet of the all but abandoned Glades - Felicity felt like it would be a comfortable, familiar place where they could spend some time together away from prying eyes.

Tearing his eyes away from the storefront, he turned to look at her with a surprising amount of emotion in his eyes. "Yes, of course. I guess... I'm just surprised this is still here after all these years. We loved this place." He remarked before swiveling his gaze back out the car window in awe.

She smiled at that. He did seem really glad that she had brought them here for lunch. "It doesn't see the business that it used to, but that doesn't mean the pizza isn't still the best in Starling City. I'm also pretty sure I'm the sole patron responsible for keeping them in business these last few years." Felicity chuckled.

His quizzical gaze turned back to her with that statement, his gaze hinting at just how desperate he was to hear even the littlest tidbit of information from her life these past few years. "I order pizza from here pretty much every Friday, and Thea and I come here a few times a month too." She elaborated.

It still wasn't enough though. His intent gaze told her he wanted to know more, but her stomach growling angrily at her meant their chat would be put on hold for a minute. "C'mon, we can keep talking inside once Mrs. Mancini stops fawning over you." She teased, drawing a small grin from Oliver as his mind seemed to drift momentarily to a time long ago at that statement.

Stepping out of the car, Felicity came around to join him for the short walk as he unfolded his large frame from her small car. The instant she stepped up to him, she sucked in a surprised breath when she felt the tips of his fingers brush the curve of her palm, causing that deliciously familiar tingle to spread up her arm, before he tentatively slipped his fingers in between hers in a loose grip.

Gazing down at their loosely intertwined fingers, it took Felicity a second to comprehend the small but meaningful gesture before she tightened her fingers around his, showing him that it was more than okay. Tipping her head up to him, a beautiful grin tugged at her lips when his eyes met her own. She knew he was probably just comfortable enough to open up like that because of the lack of prying eyes, but that didn't matter. That small gesture meant the world to her, showing her that he was slowly working on things and making an effort. With a nod towards the restaurant and a small tug on his hand, Felicity happily pulled him into the tiny little place, still grinning from ear to ear.

"Mr. Mancini? Mrs. Mancini?" Felicity called out into the empty space. The pizzeria was just as small on the inside as it looked from the outside. There were no more than three well-worn linoleum tables in the whole place, and a tiny butcher block style counter separating the front of the store from the tiny kitchen in the back, barely big enough to house the gigantic brick pizza oven that made this the absolute best pizza in the city.

She and Oliver had discovered this little gem almost six years ago one summer, specifically the summer after their rocky freshman year of college. It was one of the places he brought her for one of their lunch outings early on that summer, and it quickly became their most frequented location, thanks in large part to the lovely, elderly Italian couple that ran the little operation. Felicity still remembered that first visit fondly, recalling the way Mrs. Mancini doted on them like a mother would, and definitely threw in a not so subtle comment or two regarding how beautiful their babies would be some day.

Not waiting too long, a small (even smaller than Felicity), grey-haired woman popped out of the kitchen with a beaming smile. "Felicity, mi bella!" She greeted in her boisterous tone, starting to come around the counter to greet her favorite customer with her arms open wide for a hug. When Mrs. Mancini's eyes landed on Oliver, standing close to Felicity with their hands still intertwined between them, she let out a loud gasp and stopped dead in her tracks.

Felicity smiled widely at the elderly woman, giving Oliver's hand a small squeeze of reassurance. "Hi Mrs. Mancini, you remember Oliver, right?"

Though it appeared the elderly woman recognized her companion immediately, the second his name slipped past Felicity's lips tears sprung into Mrs. Mancini's eyes and she nodded furiously as she waddled over to embrace Oliver in a motherly hug. "Mio dio! Of course, dear. Gianluca, get out here!" She called out to her husband frantically.

Slipping her hand out of Oliver's when Mrs. Mancini came between them, Felicity stood off to the side slightly, smiling the whole time as she watched the exchange. "It's really good to see you again, Mrs. Mancini." Oliver offered with a soft laugh as he returned her hug.

Mrs. Mancini pulled away from the hug to take Oliver's face into her hands, inspecting him with happy tears still in her eyes. "You're so handsome. Felicity, he's so handsome." She admired, glancing to a very amused Felicity when she said this. Clearly, Oliver was a little uncomfortable with all the attention, but not so much so that Felicity felt the need to step in. "She missed you so much dear. I'm so glad you found your way back to her." Mrs. Mancini counseled wisely with an affectionate pat on one of his cheeks.

Oliver seemed to relax slightly at this, his eyes softening slightly as they met Felicity's over Mrs. Mancini's head. "I know. I missed her too." He said, more for Felicity than for Mrs. Mancini. For a minute, they lost each other to their gazes again, both smiling happily at one another.

"Claudia, what are you yelling about now?" Mr. Mancini teasingly called out as he appeared from kitchen moments later, stopping in his tracks just as Mrs. Mancini had when he spotted Oliver. "Oliver, my boy, it's so good to see you. Welcome home." He greeted in his thick Italian accent, far more composed than his wife but no less eagerly, stepping up and sharing a firm handshake with Oliver.

When Mr. And Mrs. Mancini stepped back to get a good look at the pair, they shared a knowing look when Oliver naturally drifted closer to Felicity again. "You two are so beautiful. Such beautiful babies..." Mrs. Mancini sniffled, taking one of her husband's hands in both of her own for support.

Mr. Mancini chuckled at his wife and the appropriately embarrassed looks both Oliver and Felicity were sporting at Mrs. Mancini's words. Gently patting his wife's hands, Mr. Mancini smiled at the pair. "That's enough Claudia, let them enjoy some time alone. We'll make your favorite pizza, on his house in honor of this beautiful occasion." Mr. Mancini announced with a big grin, disappearing into the kitchen with his weeping wife before either Oliver or Felicity had a chance to argue.

Glancing at each other, the pair shared a chuckle at the Italian couple as they took a seat at one of the tables. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" Felicity joked with a slightly nervous laugh. She knew they couldn't avoid talking any longer, but she just didn't know where to begin or what to say, hence trying to buy some time with a little humor.

Oliver smiled and shook his head. "The fawning was a little uncomfortable, but Mrs. Mancini means well." He replied with a soft laugh, an anxious silence settling over them after his words, both of them mulling over what to say next.

Linking her hands together under the table, Felicity nervously played with her fingers as the silence wore on. Fortunately, it looked like Oliver was just as nervous because she noticed him rubbing the thumb and forefinger together of one of his hands while his gaze swiveled around the room. Suddenly, his whole countenance shifted when he perked up slightly and looked at her with a gentle but curious gaze. "You said you come here with Thea?" He prompted eagerly.

Felicity felt her shoulders relax slightly with that first question as she released a slow, soft breath. She hadn't realized she had been so tense. "Yeah, we started coming here habitually almost three years ago now." Felicity started to explain with a soft smile, but that smile dropped slightly at the brief memory of her return home. "Like you said, this was our favorite lunch spot. It didn't happen immediately, but eventually I came here because I wanted to reconnect with... us." She said with a small wave of her hand between them. "I felt close to you again when I was here." She whispered, a small lump forming in her throat with that emotional admission.

Though Oliver was listening with rapt attention, drinking up every detail she was giving him with an unwavering gaze, that small statement pulled a pained look to his face, like he felt bad for not being here. It was subtle, but it was there. A slight smile tugged at her lips for him, to tell him it's okay, that it wasn't his fault. "Thea and I started spending a lot more time together, and when I rediscovered this place I wanted to share it with her. She only knew you as a big brother, so I wanted to share a different side of you with her. That and she was so curious about us turning out to be soulmates, so she wanted to know more about us. I couldn't think of a better place to take her honestly."

She watched him carefully through her explanation, gauging his reactions, though they were so subtle and she could tell he was purposefully holding himself back. At the moment, his eyes were now slightly widened with his curiosity, and there was even the barest hint of a smile tugging at his lips at hearing why she shared this place with Thea.

"Thea immediately fell in love with this place of course, so we quickly made it a permanent thing. And, if you think the Mancini's love you, they adore your little sister. She asked them all about our visits and absolutely charmed their pants off. Thea and Mrs. Mancini can gossip for hours, it's rather impressive." Felicity told him with a small giggle, recalling the many late evenings she had stayed here, long after closing, while Thea and Mrs. Mancini discussed the latest juicy gossip of Starling's elite.

His smile widened slightly at that too, and he even huffed out a short laugh. "I'm glad you shared this place with Thea, and... thank you for taking care of her and being there for her. I'm glad she had you. I'm glad you had each other." Oliver articulated with a grateful smile, but something behind his eyes told her how much it pained him that things hadn't been easy in the beginning, though Felicity never stated it out loud.

At that moment, Mrs. Mancini appeared with their pizza. Noticing the nervous energy in the air between the two, Mrs. Mancini set the pizza between them with a knowing smile for the pair before quietly disappearing into the kitchen again to give them their privacy. Without hesitation, Felicity reached for a slice of the fresh pizza with Oliver following her lead. Blowing on the hot slice a few times, when she finally chomped down on her large slice, a small moan of satisfaction vibrated in her throat as she savored that first bite.

Realizing the noise she had just made was definitely suggestive, especially given her company, her eyes instantly glanced at him to see if he had noticed. Like throughout much of their conversation so far, his eyes were intently fixed on her, but there was something different about this look. His eyes were a bit darker, and, though it was subtle, there was a slight hunger to his gaze as well that surprised her. Nervously brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear, a bright red blush formed on her cheeks under his intense gaze as she distracted herself by eating more of her pizza in silence.

"Tell me about your hair." He said suddenly before finally digging into his own slice of pizza that was yet untouched, his voice surprisingly soft despite the look that had been in his eyes only moments ago.

Touching her hair again, this time as a self-conscious tick, she immediately looked terrified. "Oh no, you hate it don't you?" She fretted.

With a slight smile, he reached his free hand over the table and tucked that pesky stray strand of hairs behind her ear again. "I like it." He said quietly as his eyes traced the path of his fingers longingly. "It's perfect." He added with a soft smile as his eyes found hers again.

That simple gesture literally scrambled her brain, so she could only stared at him for a moment, her lips slightly parted in surprise. Clearing her throat, she blinked away her momentary shock before remembering that he had actually asked her a question. "Right, you want to know why I dye it. Um, I just needed a change of pace a few years ago, and blonde just felt right." She explained, altering the details slightly. She wasn't exactly lying, but she wasn't telling him the whole truth. And, it wasn't that she didn't want to tell him the truth, she just didn't feel like they were there yet. She just wanted to enjoy this kind of easy conversation a little bit longer.

As he finished his first slice of pizza while listening to her, he nodded and hummed in appreciation, clearly accepting her response. "So," he began after swallowing his last bite, "what other big things did I miss?" He asked.

Her heart skipped a beat at such a casual question. _You have no idea_ , she wanted to say, but she swallowed those words with her last few bites of pizza, also buying herself some time to come up with safe topics to talk about for the time being. "Hmmm, well obviously I'm working at QC in the IT department." She joked eventually.

Giving her a playfully unamused look, Oliver reached for another slice. "That did surprise me a little. I bet Malcolm wasn't too pleased." He observed.

Felicity scoffed and nodded with a dramatic eye roll. "When your step-daughter graduates MIT at 20 years old with a Master's in both Cyber Security and Computer Science, you can bet he wasn't pleased to see me go to his biggest competition."

Dropping her gaze from his briefly to grab another slice herself, she was surprised by the unfiltered pride in his gaze at all of her accomplishments when her eyes eventually sought his out again. "Why did you go work for QC then?" Oliver inquired.

Nibbling on her lower lip uncertainly, she contemplated her next words. "There was never a choice. Even though no one really knew about us being soulmates, except our families of course, I wanted to carry on your legacy at QC in your place. And before you go and say that I shouldn't have done it just for you, I wasn't that selfless." She said with a soft laugh when she saw him about to protest. "QC's technology and the direction they're taking their research in the near future is far more groundbreaking than what Malcolm has envisioned for Merlyn Global, and I wanted to be a part of that one day. So, see, completely selfish." Felicity assured, and for the moment Oliver seemed placated.

"Did Malcolm finally tie Tommy down at Merlyn Global then? Is that how you were able to escape his ire for going to QC?" Oliver predicted with a laugh.

"Bingo!" She exclaimed with an easy laugh. Absentmindedly, Felicity couldn't help but notice how the nervous energy had ebbed away, and it finally felt like they were getting comfortable again, Oliver especially. "Tommy hates working at Merlyn Global though. I know Malcolm wants an heir, but it's just not the right fit for Tommy. He needs something more... interesting."

Oliver nodded pensively at Felicity's assessment, considering her words for a moment before perking up again with another question. "How's Donna?" He asked with a soft smile. Though Donna was a lot to handle most of the time, she absolutely adored Oliver when they were younger, and it always astounded young Felicity that the feeling was mutual. Then again, Donna wasn't Oliver's mother.

Felicity gave him an exaggerated shrug with a knowing smile. "She's still the same old quirky Donna. But, she's really happy, you know. Malcolm has been so good to her and really made sure she didn't go crazy from worrying about my well-being. And I'm so happy for her. She really deserves to be happy." Felicity offered. "She's called me every day since you came home, wanting to know when she'll get to see you. It's driving me up the walls." She laughed, taking a few more bites of her pizza.

Oliver gave her an amused grin as he finished off the slice of pizza in his hand. "Well, I guess I need to pay Donna visit." He suggested, still grinning at Felicity.

She looked absolutely stricken for him. "You remember my mom, right? So you know going to see her is no laughing matter. She's going to talk your poor leg off, and make so many uncomfortable comments about how attractive you are. Embarrassing people, especially me, is her specialty if you've forgotten." She fretted, completely missing the slight twinkle in his eyes when Felicity absentmindedly said he was attractive during her rant.

"I remember, Felicity." He assured with a soft chuckle. "Still, I'd be more than happy to see your mom sometime soon. That way she'll stop bugging you." He offered with a sincere smile and a nonchalant shrug.

Felicity fell silent at his insistence, touched by the gesture that he was so willing to deal with her crazy mom and all the discomfort he would likely have to endure. Clearly, no matter how awful of an idea it was, it looked like Felicity wasn't going to talk him out of it. Unconsciously, her gaze drifted down to her watch, but she did a double take when she realized how late it had gotten. "Oh frack, my boss is going to kill me. I'm already so behind on all my work this week too." She lamented, turning her apologetic gaze back to him. She really didn't want this to end because she had no idea when she was going to get to see him next.

"I could probably put in a good word." He quipped with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes, despite the slightly crestfallen look on his face.

She laughed at that and shook her head at his lame joke. "I really enjoyed today though. Thank you." She said softly with a shy smile.

"Anytime Felicity." He said, his lips curling up ever so slightly to return her smile. After a slightly prolonged but comfortable silence, Oliver cleared his throat softly. "We should probably get you back." He said reluctantly.

Chewing on her bottom lip gently, she nodded and reluctantly stood up from the table with Oliver. "Bye, Mr. And Mrs. Mancini! Thank you for the pizza, it was delicious as always." Felicity called out to the back.

They both appeared in the window bearing gentle smiles. "Anytime for such beautiful souls." Mrs. Mancini replied, earning small blushes from both Oliver and Felicity. "It's good to have you home, Oliver. Take care of our girl." Mr. Mancini added with a knowing, fatherly smile before disappearing into the back with his wife again.

Glancing up at Oliver at the exact same moment he glanced down at her, they shared an awkward smile and laugh at the not so subtle antics of the Mancini's. Slowly, Oliver's smile fell as he tipped his head towards the door. They both knew it was time to return to reality, and they really couldn't delay the inevitable any longer.

With a sigh she nodded her acceptance and lead the way to the door. A few steps in though she almost stumbled over her own feet when she felt the tips of his fingers brush across her lower back as he followed her out. It was such a small touch, but it sent tingles of electricity up her spine and somehow immediately put her at ease despite the anxiety slowly gripping her at the thought of being separated from Oliver again.

Pulling open the door, Oliver reached around her to hold it open for them as she stepped out into the quiet streets of the Glades again. But, something about the silence was off this time. Glancing around, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but that didn't stop the hair from standing up on the back of her neck.

It all happened so quickly after that.

First, she felt a slight pinch in her left arm, then her vision began to blur, followed by a sudden lightheadedness. Something was very, very wrong. "Oliver?!" She panicked. Trying to spin around to look at him, she felt the world suddenly shift around her as she started to tumble to the ground instead, only to be caught by a pair of strong arms.

"Felicity. Felicity, stay with me. No, no, no don't close your eyes. Please, Felicity." He urged fervently, his panicked eyes searching her for any signs of what might have caused this so suddenly. He must have spotted it because, even in her disoriented state, she saw his whole body language shift dramatically.

A hard mask replaced his once panicked features and a dangerous fire burned in his eyes as he swiveled his gaze all around them, subconsciously curling her a little closer to his body like he was protecting her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw several masked figures approaching them in formation with guns raised, trying to surround them on all sides. _Oliver_ , she tried to say to get his attention, but it was like her tongue suddenly weighed a thousand pounds, so all she could manage was a whimper.

Clearly it caught his attention, or he had already sensed them coming, because his whole body was stilled around her, but there was still an eerie calm about him as he assessed the situation. "I'm so sorry, Felicity." He whispered with so much pain in his voice as he gently laid her on the ground before rising to his feet, positioning himself protectively in front of her. But, he was still so eerily calm. She would later remember, though his whole posture seemed too relaxed, that he had looked ready to kill the men fast approaching them.

She wanted to call out to him, to say what to him she had no idea, but she knew nothing would happen even if she tried.

"Mr. Queen," one of the approaching assailants drawled cockily, "we just want you to come quietly with us. Your family owes us some money, and we intend to cash in."  
Oliver didn't react at all. He never moved an inch as the assailants talked at him.

"If you come with us, we promise no harm will come to the girl." The apparent leader offered, showing his hands like a peace offering, as if that would convince Oliver of his honesty.

It was like a trigger being pulled. Whereas the previous taunting hadn't fazed him at all, something in that second statement finally pulled a reaction from him. With a low growl, so low only Felicity caught it, he shifted his whole posture as he lunged for the nearest masked man, knocking him out with two well-placed punches.

The first assailant to make a move tried to shoot at and neutralize Oliver, but he was just too slow. Oliver reacted with surprisingly practiced moves, grabbing another nearby assailant, using him as a living shield before spinning out from behind him to gather an unsuspecting assailant in a headlock. He looked like a panther, moving with such effortless precision as he took on at least six fully grown men.

The last thing she saw before her vision finally blacked out and her eyes slid shut was one of the masked men landing a solid punch to Oliver's jaw.

****

She didn't know how long she was out, but when she finally awoke the first thing she noticed was the dull headache in the back of her head. Blinking slowly, she looked around to try and figure out where she was, a groan subconsciously slipping from her lips when the slight movement of her head caused the throbbing to worsen. Whatever had caused her to pass out like that really packed one hell of a hangover.

Slowly easing into a sitting position and rubbing her slightly bleary eyes, she noticed she was on a gurney outside the pizza shop with several police cars and an ambulance surrounding them. Gingerly looking around some more, she noticed that their attackers were nowhere to be found and Oliver was patiently talking to a couple of police officers about 50 feet away with his back to her.

She was about to call out to him when he seemed sense that she was finally awake. His back stiffened slightly and he reluctantly looked over his shoulder at her, a deep sorrow turning his usually bright blue eyes a more somber blue. He looked almost... guilty, like he thought he caused whatever had happened to them just now. What worried her most, and really solidified her theory that he blamed himself, was that he didn't move to come to her. Instead, after holding her gaze for a moment longer, he slowly turned back to finish giving his statement to the police.

Her heart clenched painfully, seeing that despondent look in his eyes. She could already feel the wall he was trying to erect between them.

"Ms. Smoak." A familiar voice gently intoned to her left.

Tearing her eyes away from Oliver, she turned to the voice. "Oh, Detective Lance. It's good to see you. Well, not under these circumstances, I don't know why I said that. But, I'm glad you're on this case." She said hurriedly.

"How are you feeling? Queen said you hit your head in the commotion." Detective Lance asked genuinely, clearly asking as a friend rather than the detective on duty for the moment.

That made her pause though. She wondered why Oliver lied to them about the source of her blackout. Though she didn't entirely know what caused it either, she knew for certain that she hadn't hit her head at any point – Oliver made sure of that. "I, um, I'm okay. A bit of a headache still, but mostly just a little shaken." Felicity replied vaguely.

Detective Lance gave her a sympathetic smile before clearing his throat. "If you're feeling up to it, would you mind telling me anything that you might remember before you blacked out." He asked in his serious voice now, transitioning into his professional role.

Felicity scrunched her face up like she was trying to recall what had happened. She remembered everything though, despite her blurry vision and slight dizziness before she passed out. It was all crystal clear actually. She was just trying to buy some time to figure out how to explain things. "I didn't see too much, honestly. I got knocked to the ground early on, and all I saw was Oliver starting to fight off the men before I blacked out. I think there were six of them that I knew of, but they all had their faces covered. It's not much to go on, and I really wish I could be of more help." She explained with an apologetic look. It was all true, for the most part. What scared her a little was how easy that had been. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened after I blacked out?" She asked curiously.

Detective Lance thankfully seemed to accept her explanation of her sides of things because he didn't press the issue. "It was pretty uneventful after you blacked out. Mr. Queen managed to hold them off long enough for us to get here. They must have run off when they heard the sirens because we found just you and Mr. Queen at the scene by the time we arrived." Detective Lance explained. "I don't know what happened to him on that island, but he must have fought pretty well to hold off six grown men for that long." He pondered offhandedly, not realizing what a weighty statement he had just made. "You're lucky he was with you. Maybe try to avoid the Glades from now on, okay?"

With her gaze fixed on Oliver, she nodded absently and hummed in agreement, but her mind was a million miles away. The way Oliver fought off all those grown men, single-handedly wasn't just due to some lucky self-defense. The practiced precision and efficiency of his moves were certainly no accident. It should have scared her, but she was more worried than scared. He must have been through something horrible if he had to learn to fight like that to survive.

"Well, the EMT's need to check you out now that you're awake, but we have everything we need from you on our end. So, I assume you'll both be free to go as soon as your check-up is finished. And, I know we don't have much to go on, but we'll do our best to find who did this." Detective Lance assured, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, pulling Felicity from her musings at the gesture.

"Thank you Detective. And, tell Laurel hi for me." Felicity responded quietly, her mind still processing exactly what she had witnessed earlier.

Detective Lance gave her a smile of assurance before leaving her in the care of the EMT's for the time being. Distractedly going through the motions with the EMT's while they performed their mandatory examination, Felicity carefully watched Oliver, a feeling of dread growing in the pit of her stomach. This lunch date had started off so well, and it felt like things were almost normal for a moment. Now, it felt like they were about to take ten steps back.

A few minutes later, the EMT's were done poking and prodding her, giving her the OK but firmly insisting that she take the rest of the day off. Just as the EMT's left to clean up their supplies now that their job was done, Oliver finally walked over, albeit very hesitantly, stopping about a foot away from where she still sat on the gurney with her legs dangling over the side now.

"Are you okay?" He asked quietly, not missing the strained edge to his voice or the way his eyes betrayed his tense, distant body language, clearly telling her how worried he was with the way they were frantically inspecting every inch of her.

Gently nodding, she looked at his eyes, trying in vain to hold his fleeting gaze. "Yeah, just a bit of a headache, but other than that I'm fine." She assured, her gaze falling to his jawline already darkening with a bruise. Despite her better judgement, she reached a tentative hand up to brush her fingers over the injury. Seeing him injured like that, her instincts screamed to reach out and comfort him, even though his body language screamed to stay away. She couldn't help it. "What about you?" She breathed, her own worry evident in her tone.

Just when she felt the slight scratch of his stubble on the pads of her fingers, he almost instantly flinched away from her hand. It wasn't a big movement; he pulled away no more than a few millimeters, but she felt him pull away nonetheless. Letting her hand weakly fall back into her lap, her heart clenched painfully at his rejection of her touch. "It's not that bad, it only looks painful." He offered, pausing a beat before offering his hand to her face up. "Let's get you home. I already called your boss and told him you won't be returning for the day."

Eyeing his proffered hand for a moment, she glanced back up at him hesitantly but finally placed her hand in his at his silently pleading eyes. Sliding off the gurney, she gripped his hand a little tighter to balance herself on her wobbly feet. The second she was stable though and her grip loosened infinitesimally, he quietly slipped his hand out of hers, leaving a chill where the fleeting but comforting warmth of her soulmate's touch had been moments ago.

With a soft sigh Felicity let her hand drop to her side as they moved over to her car, Oliver following just behind her but making sure to keep his distance this time. Approaching the car, he silently stepped around her to open the passenger side door for her while she slipped into the car with a quiet "Thank you". After gently closing the door behind her, she watched Oliver come around the car in four big steps before sliding in next to her and quickly starting up the car.

As soon as she was seated in her car, Felicity's mind was already a million miles away again, so she didn't notice when they didn't drive off immediately. Oliver clearing his throat next to her, jolting her back to reality as she looked around curiously before giving Oliver a puzzled look. "Felicity, you need to help me get you home." He explained with a quick sideways glance.

"Oh, right, duh. Um, make a U-turn, we need to go the other way." She instructed. With a nod, Oliver finally pulled away from the pizza place and made the U-turn as instructed to start in the direction of Felicity's apartment.

What was nothing more than a five minute drive in reality had felt like an eternity to Felicity with all the tension in the car. Whereas silences between them earlier in the lunch date had been understandable, albeit somewhat awkward, now the silence was stifling and nerve-wracking, only occasionally interrupted when Felicity needed to give him another instruction.

With her heart pounding nervously in her chest, she tried to distract herself with the passing scenery, but it wasn't working. She was worried about the brooding man next to her, and with each minute that passed she could feel him pulling further away from her. Unable to keep her gaze off him any longer, she turned her head slightly to her left to observe him out of the corner of her eye.

Her eyes started at his right hand tightly curled around her steering wheel. Tracing up his arm, she saw the tension in his grip reflect in the subtle movements of his forearm under his shirt as he maneuvered the car down the road. A movement from his other hand caught her eye, drawing her gaze for a moment to where his left hand was resting stiffly on his leg, the thumb and forefinger rubbing together anxiously in a gesture she was beginning to recognize and associate with his anxiety. Bringing her gaze back up towards his face, she skimmed over his clenched jaw, pausing to watch the subtle flexing of the muscles there before finally lifting her eyes to his. She knew he was studiously keeping his gaze on the road, but he didn't have to look at her for her to see the regret in his eyes because it was written all over his body.

Briefly, almost so fast she would have missed it if her eyes hadn't been on his already, his eyes flickered over to meet her worried gaze before quickly focusing on the road again. She had been right. In that short gaze, she saw his sadness, regret, and the scars of his past reflecting back at her. Clearly, today's incident had triggered something in Oliver and reopened what she could only guess were fresh wounds.

Inhaling and exhaling slowly, she turned her gaze back out the car windows just in time to see that they were approaching her quaint red brick building. "That's me. Just park anywhere on the street." She said softly, pointing to the building just ahead. Only a single nod from him told her that he had understood her.

Once they were parked, Oliver didn't waste any time exiting the car without so much as a glance at Felicity. Shaking her head slightly with a frustrated sigh, Felicity turned to open her own door, but Oliver beat her to the punch and was already pulling it open for her. Swinging her legs out of the car, she contemplated him for a long moment before stepping out of the car. Turning to him, she was surprised to see that he was finally looking at her. Nodding her head towards the door, she turned her body to head for the entrance to her building.

Making her way up to her door, she didn't bother to look behind her to see if he was still following her. Though she couldn't hear him, what with his surprisingly quiet tread, she could feel his presence so she knew he was still there. Stepping into the cramped hallway with two doors on either side and an aging wooden staircase at the end of the hall, Felicity lead the way up the steps to her third floor apartment.

Stopping just in front of her door, she spun around to find him lingering just behind her with his hands nervously tucked into the shallow pockets of his jeans. "How are you getting home?" She asked curiously.

"My driver will be here any minute." He explained with a casual shrug.

Tugging her lower lip in between her teeth, she chewed on the soft skin for a beat while her eyes searched his face. "Oliver...," she started softly, "you don't have to go." She said, silently begging him to stay though she knew it was a futile attempt. But, she needed him to know she didn't want him to go.

His remorseful gaze lingered on her pleading one for a second. He looked hesitant, like he didn't want to leave either, but she knew he had made up his mind long ago. "It's... it's for the best right now. You need to get some rest." He said with a soft shake of his head. But, he didn't move to go immediately, rather he looked at her for a moment like he was trying to decide something. Suddenly, he leaned in and placed the softest kiss on the side of her head, his lips lingering there for a moment.

Sucking in a surprised breath, she closed her eyes and savored his brief touch, feeling the all the emotions he was quietly expressing with that one gesture. "I'm so sorry." He whispered into her hair with a slight crack to his voice, but all she heard was 'please forgive me.'

She wanted so badly to convince him to stay, tell him there was nothing to forgive, to talk to him about what she had just seen, to just be there for him because she knew he was battling his inner demons that still haunted him from the last five years. But, she knew he needed his space too. She just had to trust that he would come back to her when he's ready so they can work through this together, as much at it pained her to let him walk away right now when something was clearly wrong.

Without thinking, she blindly reached out for him, trying to hold onto him just a little longer. The second her fingers brushed something on him, probably an arm, his lips disappeared from her hair as he put a little more distance between them again. Slowly forcing her eyes open again, she was surprised to his retreating back as he headed for the stairs. "Oliver," she called out desperately, "just... come back, okay?" She pleaded.

He stopped at the top of the stairs to look back at her with those damn apologetic, remorseful eyes again. But he didn't say anything. He just gave her that long look, telling her that he didn't want to make a promise he couldn't keep right now. Without another word, he broke their gaze and quietly descended the stairs.

Letting out a long, shaky breath she had been holding while waiting for his answer. She stood there for a while after he had disappeared from sight, still staring at where he had just stood as the numbness and exhaustion slowly started to take hold after such an emotionally draining afternoon. Forcing her tired body to move, she finally let herself into her quaint apartment, locking the door securely behind her.

She understood his silence, and in a way it was more of an honest answer than if he had actually tried to say something. That didn't mean it didn't hurt and worry her at least a little bit. She wouldn't panic just yet though. He needed time, and she would give him that... for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that was an emotional roller coaster for our poor babies. On the bright side, this was pretty much entirely Oliver/Felicity, so I hope you guys enjoyed that! And, how fun were the Mancini's?! That was one of my absolute favorite scenes to date.
> 
> I'm sure you're all wondering why Oliver never asked Felicity about what Thea had told him, and there's a reason for this! It's not that they don't want to talk about the darker aspects of the last five years, they're just not ready yet. They both naively hope that they can just fall back into their old friendship/relationship from the outset. But, for both of them, too much has happened and they aren't the same people anymore - something that the attempted kidnapping is supposed to reinforce. They can't begin to rebuild their relationship, or even attempt to explore the full magnitude of their soulmate connection, until they break down all their walls and really open up to one another. So, look forward to a really serious discussion between these two in the very near future as a result of the events of this chapter!
> 
> I love hearing your thoughts, comments, and questions, so don't hesitate to shoot me a line in the comments :)
> 
> Shameless plug time: I broke the news in the latest chapter of my other multi-chapter fic, _About Last Night_ , but I recently set up a tumblr! I'll be posting a sneak preview for the next chapter in this story a few days before I post the complete chapter over there, and I figured I could use it as a place to discuss this story in more depth if you have any burning questions about the plot, where the character's mindsets are at, etc. So, come by and say hi!


	18. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this story reached a huge milestone for me after the last chapter - IT HIT 1,000 KUDOS!!! Thank you so much to each and every one of you who have showed this story some love a long the way. Seriously, so much love for all of you! As my first ever multi-chapter fic, this really means a lot to me because I never thought it would receive this much love. 
> 
> As a thank you to all of you wonderful fans, I want to write a series of behind the scenes/missing scenes fics from this universe for you guys! They can be from any part of the story that has happened thus far and from any POV. I have one in mind so far that someone requested awhile back, but if there are any other parts of the story that made you pause and wonder 'Huh, I wonder what happened during that gigantic time jump?' or something like that, drop me a line either here or on Tumblr!
> 
> Now, onto regular programming!
> 
> Thank you so much, as always, to everyone who left kudos and comments on the last chapter. I love reading each and every one of your comments - they always make my day. Once again, A LOT happens in this chapter and some things are finally revealed ;)
> 
> Happy reading!

Pulling his Ducati into the quiet alleyway, he parked a little way away from his destination so the bike was out of sight and quickly cut the engine. Throwing his leg over to dismount, he tugged his hood a little lower over his face as he moved with purposeful strides towards an unassuming red brick building about 100 feet away. Inhaling and exhaling slowly, he increased the pace of his strides until he was running at full speed straight for the wall facing the alleyway. Planting his foot on the rough brick, he propelled himself easily up into the air, catching hold of the low-hanging fire escape, lifting himself over the railing, and making his way up a now familiar path to the roof.

Taking a few deep breaths to steady his slightly labored breathing, he stepped up to the edge of the roof and peered into a window of the adjacent building not more than 15 feet away. There wasn't a single light on in the apartment, not that he expected there to be - it was 2:00 am after all. Squatting down, his bright blue eyes peered out from under the green hood shadowing his face to get a better look into the window. The window was almost half-way open to let the cool night air into the room, pulling a frustrated growl from his lips.

She did this almost every night and it always made him so anxious. Though her neighborhood was relatively safe, she still lived a little too close to the Glades for his comfort, and with the crime getting worse by the day he hated how she so casually jeopardized her safety. He needed to have a talk with her about her safety... well, after he has an altogether different kind of talk with her, though he can't bring himself to face her just yet.

Pushing those thoughts away for the moment, he looked beyond the window and into her room, actually thankful for the fact that she didn't tend pull the drapes closed. It allowed the moonlight to bathe her room in it's beautiful glow, letting him see her from afar without having to get too close. Tracking his eyes further into the room, he quickly spotted her sprawled out in her bed.

Felicity. His beautiful Felicity.

In the three days since the moment he almost let those goons just out looking for a payday hurt her in the Glades, he had come here every night after spending his evenings working on his father's list. Something about seeing her every night and knowing she was okay soothed the beast inside of him that he always unleashed when he donned the hood. He knew he was a coward, stealing these glimpses at night while keeping his distance from her during the day, but he didn't trust himself.

She had almost gotten hurt the other day just because she was with him. _She was hurt. They drugged her, in case you have forgotten_ , he chastised internally. What bothered him the most though was that he had momentarily given her a glimpse of the ugliest part of himself, the side of himself he had never wanted Felicity to see. That side of himself is dangerous, and Felicity too pure to be exposed to it. But if it meant saving Felicity, he would make the same choice over and over again.

A strained whimper floated from her room, out the open window, and into the quiet night air all around him causing his whole body to freeze. That wasn't a normal. The distress in that little noise was loud and clear. His heart raced as adrenaline made its way into his system, his senses on high alert, internally cursing himself for leaving his bow with his Ducati. He would have to make due.

The noised floated to his ears a second time and before he knew what he was doing he had jumped across the gap, eased the window open a little further, and deftly climbed into her room, his whole body taut with anticipation. He knew she would kill him if she caught him sneaking into her room like this, especially given his avoidance of her, and he knew he'd have a lot of explaining to do regarding his outfit of choice, but her safety was paramount.

Quickly scanning the room for any danger, he was momentarily puzzled when he found a quiet room only occupied by he and Felicity.

"Oliver..." Felicity whimpered desperately and he froze.

There was no way she knew he was here, even with their connection. The room was too dark, and even if she was awake he would just look like a hulking figure back-lit by the moonlight.

Holding his breath, he dared to gaze upon her.

She was still asleep, thankfully, but he could tell something was wrong immediately. Her covers had been kicked back as she tossed and turned fitfully, her beautiful golden hair fanned out around her in a tangled mess and a thin sheen of sweat covering the exposed parts of her body despite the chill in the room.

His heart hammered in his chest. He knew the signs because he had suffered through the very same thing almost every night for five years.

She was having a nightmare, a nightmare about him.

Her whole presence called out to him in her struggle, and his gut begged him to go to her and take away the pain.

He knew he shouldn't... there were so many things that could go wrong. But, just as he had suddenly found himself inside her apartment, he found himself striding over to her bed, keeping his tread quiet so he wouldn't startle her. For a moment, he wasn't going to fight their connection. Hopefully she was still a heavy sleeper like he remembered, even with the nightmare, because he was about to do something really risky.

Swallowing thickly, he focused on keeping his breathing low and even as he gently sat down on the edge of her bed. Holding his breath for a beat, he waited until she stopped tossing and turning momentarily before completely easing himself onto the bed and shifting himself closer to her, leaning his back against the headboard to get comfortable.

Almost instantly Felicity sought him out, reaching a hand out for him. Her hand landed on his stomach and he inhaled sharply, freezing under her touch, trying to stop his body from trembling. But she didn't stop there. She inched over to him until she was completely pressed into his side, her head resting on his chest, the hand that was draped over him gripping his green leather jacket tightly.

He hovered his left arm above her for a moment, holding his breath, waiting for her to wake up and freak out any minute now. She never did. Slowly, he lowered his arm, wrapping it around her shoulders as he pulled her just a little bit closer. A content hum bubbled up from her as she snuggled into his embrace causing him to stiffen ever so slightly before he willed his body to relax.

Tipping his head down, he carefully observed her from underneath the safety of his hood. She was breathing evenly again through her softly parted lips, the tight frown on her brow had smoothed out into a more peaceful expression, and the tension in her body was slowly dissipating as the nightmare was forgotten.

Lifting a gloved hand to brush back some of her hair, he paused, his brow scrunching together briefly. It felt wrong to touch her with his hands covered like that. With the aid of his free hand, he carefully peeled his gloves off, trying not to move too much and disturb her peaceful rest. Now that his hands were uncovered, Oliver carefully brushed her wild hair away from her face, letting his fingertips softly graze the skin of her cheek. Then, he gently trailed his fingertips over the smooth skin of her arm that was draped across him, his longing gaze following the path of his fingers, the ghost of a smile on his lips as he admired her.

He hated himself for being such a coward, but he would never regret this moment and being able to ease her nightmare. He knew how painful they could be, and she didn't deserve to suffer through something like that. Even if he couldn't give her the soulmate she deserved, it made him happy to give her this one moment in the stillness of the night, away from the darkness that awaited him outside the walls of her room.

And for that moment, a certain sense of calm washed over him as he just let himself be - forgetting his mission, putting aside his doubts and worries, and taking a moment to enjoy the simple pleasure of holding Felicity in his arms.

That's how he spent the rest of his night, just watching her sleep until he quietly slipped out of her apartment as the sun started to peak over the horizon.

* * *

"Oliver?" Felicity mumbled sleepily as she rolled over onto her stomach, her hand reaching across the bed only to land on the cool sheets next to her.

Blinking her sleepy eyes open, only to squint them against the morning sunlight streaming into her room, she confirmed that she was, in fact, alone. Her brows pulled together slightly as she ran her fingers over the empty bed.

Though last night had started out like every other night recently - with her falling into yet another nightmare -, this nightmare had faded as quickly as it started which never happens. Every nightmare before this one she had suffered through alone, bearing the emotional pain and just fighting through it. This time though, out of nowhere, it was like Oliver swooped in, wrapped her up in his protective embrace, and chased away the nightmare. She knew there was no way he had really been there last night, but it felt so real. So real even it was like she could smell his familiar scent on her sheets. Hence her confusion.

"My mind is playing tricks on me. It's official, I've gone crazy." She mumbled to herself with a strained laugh. "What a cruel joke though, brain. Thanks for that." She groaned as she rolled back over to the left side of the bed. Slowly sitting up and swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she picked up her glasses from her nightstand, sliding them on with a soft sigh. Tapping on her phone's screen to check the time, she pondered the object for a long moment.

Her monthly lunch with Tommy and Thea wasn't until 1 pm, and it was only 7:30 am. Biting her lip and humming thoughtfully, she nodded slowly as she formulated her schedule for the day. With everything that had happened in the last week and a half, and with the toll the nightmares had taken on her lately, she was more than behind on her work and she knew her boss was starting to get frustrated. Since she felt more rested and refreshed than she had in recent memory, though that wasn't saying much, she didn't want to waste the opportunity to finally get some productive work done.

Decision made, Felicity trudged out of bed to get ready for the day, her thoughts still lingering on the mystery of both her nightmare and Oliver.

* * *

Several hours later, Felicity breezed through the door of the modern bistro, panting a little as she frantically searched the restaurant for Tommy and Thea. It was unlike her to be late for one of their lunch dates, but she had gotten lost in her work this morning and that's how she found herself arriving almost 30 minutes late.

Spotting the pair in the crowded seating area, Tommy – who happened to be facing her – waved at her over the crowd with a big smile to beckon her over. Quickly throwing an apologetic smile to the hostess, who was still giving her a concerned look for her abrupt entrance, Felicity headed over to where Tommy and Thea were seated with a sheepish smile on her face.

"About time you showed, we were getting worried!" Tommy teased as he stood and enveloped Felicity in a big, brotherly hug.

"I know, I'm sorry. I was at work and lost track of time." Felicity apologized as she slipped out of Tommy's hug and turned to wrap her arms around Thea's slim shoulders for their customary hug.

"You went to work this morning? On a Saturday?" Thea asked as she wrapped her arms around Felicity's waist in a tight hug.

"Yup. I woke up early enough this morning, so I figured I would try to make a dent in some of the work I've fallen behind on before our lunch." She explained with a shrug as the girls separated from their hug.

Thea hummed quietly in understanding as Felicity walked around the table and tiredly plopped down into an open seat, dropping her bag on the floor next to her. Looking back up at her companions, they were both observing her closely, though Thea seemed more intent in her inspection. "What?" Felicity asked hesitantly, her brow quirking curiously and her eyes swinging between the two.

"You look terrible." Thea expressed with concern in her eyes.

"Thea..." Tommy warned softly.

Shaking her head, Felicity waved off their observation with a long sigh and a shrug. "It's fine, Tommy. She's not lying." She knew, despite one decent-ish night of sleep, that she still had dark circles under her eyes and that her whole face probably looked as tired as she felt.

Thea's eyes roamed over Felicity's face for a quiet moment, her brows still pulled together in concern for her friend. "More nightmares?"

Felicity nodded, her lips pinching together into a small frown.

"When did they start up again? I thought you were doing better?" Tommy asked this time, worry etched on his features as well.

"Well, I had that particularly bad one just before Oliver came home, and I didn't have another until the night of the incident in the Glades." She explained, a dark look passing over Tommy's face at the mention of the Glades. "I've had a nightmare almost every night since, the one exception being last night... sort of."

Expecting Tommy to say something, she was surprised by his silence and contemplative look instead. She could practically hear the wheels turning in his head though as he observed her.

Thea went to speak this time in light of Tommy's silence, but was momentarily interrupted when the waitress came by to take their order. After quickly reeling off their usual orders, Thea didn't hesitate to continue their discussion the moment the waitress was out of earshot. "What do you mean by sort of?"

Felicity pinched her brow together thoughtfully. "Well, I know I started to have another nightmare last night, but it stopped abruptly. They've never done that on their own before. They only ever stop when my alarm goes off or if the nightmare wakes me up on its own." She explained before taking a long sip of her water. "I... I actually think Oliver had something to do with it." She hypothesized hesitantly, glancing at both of her companions to gauge their reactions.

Tommy didn't react other than a slight quirk of an eyebrow, like a piece of the puzzle he had been trying to figure out had fallen into place, and Thea's eyebrows rose towards her hairline in surprise. "What do you mean?"

Biting her lip nervously, she contemplated her next words carefully otherwise she knew she would sound insane. "He wasn't physically in my room with me, but it was like his presence was – maybe through our connection? Whatever it was, the moment he showed up the nightmare was gone." She explained slowly, pausing a few times to find the right words to describe the experience.

After a beat of silence, Tommy finally spoke up, though his gaze was no less curious. "Felicity... when did the nightmares start again, in the very beginning?" He asked quietly, leaning forward a little to rest his elbows on the table.

Tilting her head to her left slightly, she raised an eyebrow at Tommy as she regarded him. "The first was the night before news broke of the Gambit sinking, it was of someone drown... Oh my god." She gasped suddenly, the realization hitting her like a ton of bricks. It all made sense. "How did I not know...?" She breathed out, her wide eyes meeting Tommy's own surprised gaze, Felicity's words clearly confirming his hypothesis.

"What? What's going on?" Thea asked frantically, looking quickly between Tommy and Felicity a few times.

Running a hand through his hair, Tommy slumped back in his chair. "I never put it together either because we never really talked about it, but it makes sense... It only hit me because I experience it with Laurel, not the nightmares of course but the dream sharing." He mumbled, more to Felicity though, as he wrapped his head around the details.

Looking away from an equally shocked Tommy, Felicity sought out Thea's eyes with her own troubled gaze. "Thea, you know how some soulmates have a strong mental connection? Usually, it means they dream of each other from time to time, and sometimes it means they can see their soulmate's memories. I think... I think my nightmares were remnants of Oliver's memories all along." She breathed out, her chest tightening painfully as the magnitude of this revelation sunk in for her too.

Thea's eyes widened almost comically, her mouth falling open in shock. "Oh... oh my god. Oh my god." She repeated quietly. "Oh my god, poor Ollie. If the memories were that strenuous for you, I can't even begin to imagine what Ollie actually went through all those years."

"Me either." Felicity whispered, her unfocused gaze falling to the table momentarily, her mind swimming with too many thoughts to organize at the moment. Blinking them away, she looked back up to Tommy and Thea's concerned faces with a weak smile. "All that matters is he's home now, and away from that terrible place." She reassured, though the sentiment didn't quite reach her eyes. Yes, he was home and off that literal hell, but that didn't mean he wasn't still struggling with the aftermath of the island.

Thea nodded adamantly in agreement but seemed to pick up on Felicity's mood. "How has he been since coming home? I haven't really seen him, and then there was that incident in the Glades..."

Felicity bit her lip, dropping her eyes to the table again. "I... I don't know. I haven't seen or heard from him in a few days. Since the Glades actually." She admitted.

"What?!" Thea nearly screeched, earning more than a few weird looks from the other patrons around them, as she sat up a little straighter in her seat, pinning Felicity with an incredulous look. "You mean to tell me, my idiot of a brother, and your soulmate might I add, hasn't checked in on you once since you guys were attacked in the Glades?" She asked hotly. Felicity nodded slowly with a long sigh, and Thea huffed angrily before leaning back in her seat with her arms crossed. "He promised me he wouldn't do something like this. Oh, he's so getting a piece of my mind the next time I see him." She grumbled in her seat.

"Don't be too angry at him, Thea. You didn't see him that day. I think it brought up some really horrific memories. He needed time to deal with it, and I wanted to give him that." Felicity assured, resting a soft hand on Thea's thigh.

"Still..." She grumbled, brooding over her brother's idiocy for another moment until her features softened. "I'm really worried about him guys." She expressed, glancing at both Tommy and Felicity. "I barely see him either, and I'm the one supposedly living with him. He's gone all day and doesn't return until long after midnight. He doesn't think I've noticed, but it's hard not to when I only see him in passing." She revealed with a concerned frown. "Mom's really upset with him too. She got him a bodyguard after the Glades thing, but Ollie keeps ditching the poor guy. I only know because I heard her rip into the bodyguard for letting Ollie out of his sight for the third straight day yesterday."

Thea reached down, curling her fingers around Felicity's hand resting on her thigh, clutching it desperately as she turned pleading eyes to Felicity. "He needs you. I know you said you wanted to give him space after the Glades, but clearly he's not dealing with things very well, and you're the only one that can get through to him."

Felicity regarded Thea for a long moment before turning to look at Tommy who was nodding his agreement. "She's right, Felicity." He urged softly. "You're his soulmate. Your connection with him is more important than you both realize, and it can help you both heal... if you let it."

Nodding slowly, she leaned back in her seat with a frustrated sigh. She knew she needed to see Oliver, she had just hoped Oliver would come to her on his own though. She didn't want to believe that he was really avoiding her, but that look he gave her after he took her home the other day made her think there really was more to his absence than meets the eye. "But, what am I supposed to do? He won't come to me, I can't go to him either if he's as elusive as Thea says he is, and I doubt he'll answer me if I try calling or texting him." Pleading with both of her friends, hoping they might have some magical insight for her.

Tommy sheepishly scratched the back of his neck, suddenly avoiding looking at either of his companions. "Well, now that you mention it, I may have a solution."

"Spill Merlyn." Thea pressed urgently, fixing him with a stern look.

Dropping his gaze to the table, he nervously fidgeted with the silverware next to his plate as he spoke. "I promise you I completely forgot about this because we made these plans days ago – before I knew he was avoiding everyone –, but I'm supposed to meet him at Max Fuller's club, Poison, tonight. Something about checking out the competition, whatever that means." He confessed sheepishly, earning a deep glare from Thea and a slightly hurt look from Felicity. "But this is a good thing!" He perked up with a hopeful smile. "Come with us tonight, Felicity. I mean, we know where he's going to be, so this is the perfect opportunity to talk to him."

Biting her lip, she mulled over the idea for a minute before shaking her head eventually. "What?! Felicity, I may not be happy that Tommy conveniently forgot to mention this to us until now, but he's right, this is the perfect opportunity." Thea urged with a very confused look.

"Thea, I'm just saying no to joining them tonight. I have another idea in mind." She assured with a soft smile for Thea. "As much as I want to talk to him, a club isn't the best place to spring a serious discussion on him. And I want you to spend some time with him too, Tommy. He wants to see you, and I don’t want to get in the way of that. Can you just make sure he gets home?" She requested, earning an eager nod from Tommy. "Thea, how do you feel about a girls night?" She suggested with a smile, turning to the girl in question.

Realization lit up Thea's eyes as she nodded enthusiastically. "You know I always love a girls night. As long as you sneak me some wine." Thea joked with a playful wiggle of her eyebrows.

"Thea." Felicity and Tommy groaned simultaneously before the whole table shared a laugh, effectively cutting the tension that had plagued them ever since they sat down.

Felicity's laugh softened into a smile as she glanced back to Tommy. "Well, that's settled. Just enjoy a night out with him okay? Don't worry about what's going on between me and Oliver. Promise me you won't go all protective big brother on him." She insisted seriously. She really did want Tommy to spend some time with his best friend because she knew it would do them both some good.

Pinching his lips together slightly, Tommy regarded Felicity for a moment, clearly a little frustrated by the request, before a big smile bloomed on his face. "You know me too well, sis. I promise I won't mention anything to him because I trust you and I know you guys can work through this without me butting in." He said with a soft laugh. "And I promise I'll make sure he gets home so you can see him." He added more seriously, holding Felicity's gaze.

Felicity shot Tommy a grateful smile as Thea clapped her hands together, drawing their attention. "Well, enough about my depressing brother. Tell us how things are going with Laurel, Tommy." Thea requested eagerly.

Felicity was grateful for the change of topic for now. With her nerves mounting in anticipation of finally talking with Oliver later, she was glad to lose herself in some mindless discussion that didn't center around her and Oliver for the remainder of their lunch date.

* * *

Much later, Felicity was curled up on the living room couch with Thea curled up under her arm watching a movie, though Felicity couldn't string together the plot even if she tried. Her mind was a million miles away as she tried to formulate exactly what she would say to Oliver when he got home, running through her speech over and over, though it never sounded right no matter how many iterations she tried. It didn't help that the later it became, with no word from Tommy that they were heading home, the more nervous she got that something was wrong.

"That guy is either a hero or insane." A sleepy Thea mumbled from her spot Felicity's chest with a disbelieving shake of her head.

"Hmm, who?" Felicity asked distractedly, blinking a few times to refocus her attention on the screen just in time to catch the byline scrolling across the screen:

**Breaking news: SCPD reports the bow and arrow wielding Starling City vigilante was spotted again tonight near Church and Wellesley. The vigilante's target is unclear at this time as the story is still developing. SCPD advises avoiding the area while the circumstances of his appearance are under investigation.**

Humming quietly as she contemplated the headline, Felicity eventually shrugged. "I don't know why, but I feel like he's out to do good. I don't mind him taking down corrupt billionaires leeching off this city's poor, but I'm not a fan of his methods per se. And, who uses a bow and arrow anymore?"

"Yeah, talk about outdated. And, I mean why be so violent about it when one could just destroy them with a few clicks on a keyboard, eh Felicity." Thea joked, poking Felicity in the side for added effect.

Felicity swatted at Thea's hand as she flinched away from the touch with an involuntary laugh. "Thea, you know I don't do that anymore, nor will I ever return to that life. It wasn't healthy for me." She chided, her features falling into a sad frown.

"I know, I'm sorry." Thea sighed, cuddling back into Felicity's side. "You can't deny it'd be so badass if you were some kind of secret hacking vigilante though." She added with a grin earning a soft laugh and a head shake from Felicity. _Maybe in another life_ , Felicity thought wistfully.

Turning her attention back to the movie for no more than a minute or two, the buzzing of her phone from the coffee table quickly pulled her attention away again the moment she saw Tommy's name pop up on the screen.

Reaching over to fetch her phone, Thea extracted herself from their embrace and sat up with a hopeful look on her face as Felicity quickly answered the call.

"Tommy?" She called into the phone.

_"Felicity!"_ Tommy practically yelled into the phone over the loud noises from the club around him. _"I didn't want to call you until I was absolutely certain, but I can't find Oliver anywhere. I'm so, so sorry Felicity."_

Her stomach lurched at the news, but she wasn't sure she heard him correctly over the noise of the club in the background. Using a finger from her other hand to plug her free ear, she strained to hear him over the noise. "Tommy, say that again and start from the beginning." She urged desperately, hoping she had heard him wrong.

_"I lost sight of Oliver an hour ago, and his phone keeps going straight to voicemail every time I try and call him. I found his bodyguard, and he can't find him either. It's like he dropped off the grid. Laurel just texted me that something happened with Martin Somers, so I've got to go take care of her. I tried to wait as long as I could to see if he would come back, but I need to go be with Laurel. I let you down, I'm so sorry Felicity."_

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Felicity sighed loudly. She had a feeling something like this would happen, but she wouldn't give up just yet. "It's okay Tommy, really. Just go be with Laurel. I'll figure something out."

_"Call me tomorrow and update me if anything happens?"_ Tommy requested.

"Sure Tommy. Tell Laurel hi." She responded despondently before hanging up the phone after a quick goodbye from Tommy's end.

"Is it Ollie?" Thea asked hesitantly, worry written all over her face.

"Yeah. Tommy and his bodyguard both lost track of him, and they haven't seen him for about an hour." She explained with a sigh, leaning back against the couch. "Has Oliver ever not come home?" Felicity asked Thea after a quiet minute.

Scrunching up her brow, Thea eventually shook her head. "No, he always comes home. I mean there's nowhere else in the city he would go. Why?"

Felicity breathed out a small sigh of relief. This might not be a total wash after all. "I'm going to stay and wait for him then. I know I could always try to talk to him another time, but I don't want to wait any more. I'm worried about him too - I mean, he ditched Tommy tonight. And... I miss him." She explained, her voice trailing off towards the end as she dropped her gaze to her lap.

Reaching out, Thea took Felicity's hand in hers, giving it a gentle and supportive squeeze. "I'll stay with you then." She said through a yawn that bubbled up suddenly.

Shaking her head, Felicity fixed her with a knowing look and a soft smile. "Go to bed Thea. It's already really late, and I'll be fine here until he gets back. I mean, this place is practically my second home anyways."

Thea regarded her for a long moment, searching Felicity's face with concern in her eyes. "Okay. But, I swear, if that idiot doesn't show up not even you can stop me from giving him a piece of my mind this time. He's being ridiculous." Thea grumbled.

Felicity pulled Thea into a parting hug with a soft laugh, pressing a brief kiss into the young girl's hair. "Go get some sleep, Thea." She urged softly with a smile when they separated.

With a reluctant nod, Thea extracted herself from the couch and headed towards her room. Just before she passed out of sight though, she looked back at Felicity with a smile of her own. "Try not to worry too much. I'm sure he's fine, and talking with him will be fine. I mean, you guys are literally made for each other." She threw out casually with a confident shrug. "Night girl!" Thea grinned one last time before finally disappearing.

Shaking her head with a small laugh, Felicity slowly eased herself off the couch once Thea was gone to clean up the mess they made in an effort to pass a little bit of time and to keep herself awake. It didn't take near as long as she hoped though, and she quickly found herself curled up on the couch again under her favorite blanket. Before she knew it, as the time inched past one in the morning, Felicity couldn't resist drifting off no matter how hard she tried to stay awake.

* * *

Blinking her eyes open momentarily, they slipped shut again as she stretched out, savoring the delicious sensation a moment before rolling onto her right side and bundling herself up in the fluffy comforter again.

_Wait..._ , she paused as her brain slowly came to. Everything was wrong with this situation and nothing made sense. She was supposed to be on a couch waiting for Oliver to come home...

"Frack." She breathed out quietly, her eyes flying open as she peeled back the covers. If she wasn't awake before, she was now. She couldn't believe she had fallen asleep and most likely missed her chance to talk to him. But first, she needed to figure out where she was exactly.

Sitting up in bed, letting the blanket pool around her waist, Felicity blindly searched for her glasses on the nightstand next to her, sighing in relief when she found them and slid them on. Now that she could see again, her eyes traced around the room, slowly widening as she realized whose room she was in.

Felicity hadn't been in Oliver's room since the memorial service, and she was surprised to see that nothing had changed. She didn't know whether she found that bit of information comforting or painful.

Swinging her eyes around the room to absorb the familiar sights, her mind raced trying to figure out what might have happened after she fell asleep last night. The bed next to her was untouched, but her gaze shifted to the couch nearby that definitely looked like someone had used it. Her brows pinched together and her face pulling into a slight frown as she stared at the couch. He had come home then. That's how she ended up in his room. She didn't know how long he had been gone, but it looked like her opportunity had passed.

Giving the couch one last longing glance, she swung her legs over the side of the bed with a resigned sigh. With Oliver long gone, she figured she'd go find Thea.

Before she had a chance to stand up though, something on his nightstand caught her eye, pulling her gaze to her right and making her pause. Surprise colored her features as she reached out and picked up the picture frame from its place, holding it almost lovingly in her hands as she stared at the photo. She remembered that Thea told her his copy of the Christmas photo had disappeared. But here it was, back in its frame like was never missing, albeit a little more battered and faded.

"Oh..." She involuntarily gasped, tears springing to her eyes as she ran a thumb lovingly over the photo. It had taken a moment, but the pieces fell into place for her. She knew exactly what happened to the photo. He had it with him... the whole time. Somehow it survived and found its way back home with him.

Wiping her tears from her eyes, a soft smile tugged at her lips as she gently replaced the photo on his nightstand. Though he was avoiding her, and she was definitely mad at him for very purposefully avoiding her yet again this morning, she knew there was hope. The picture, and knowing he managed to bring it home despite the horrific things he was likely exposed to on the island, gave her hope.

Giving the picture one last wistful look, she extracted herself from his bed and slipped out of his room with a brief glance over her shoulder into the room again just as the door shut behind her.

Sighing softly, she squared her shoulders and made her way down the hall to her right towards Thea's room. Felicity quietly knocked on the door, frowning slightly when no answer came from the other side after a minute. Gently pushing the door open, Felicity saw that Thea's room was also unoccupied. Contemplating the empty room for a moment, she shrugged to herself as she gently pulled the door closed again before turning and heading downstairs. Hopefully Thea was downstairs somewhere.

Moving through the house, Felicity's ears picked up on faint noises emanating from the kitchen, so her feet followed her ears to investigate. When she finally turned the corner, she sighed at the picture that greeted her, it both disappointing her and relaxing her at the same time.

Only Thea and Raisa were in the extravagant kitchen, with Thea perched at the island while Raisa prepared a late morning breakfast for her. But, still no Oliver. She wasn't that lucky.

"Morning Thea, Raisa." Felicity called out, her voice a little strained though, as she moved into the kitchen to join Thea at the island.

"Good morning Miss Felicity. There's coffee in the pot. Would you like some blinchiki?" Raisa said happily, turning around briefly to smile at Felicity before going back to her task, completely unaware of the suspense slowly building between Thea and Felicity.

A half smile tugged at her lips. Raisa's blinchiki were the best and might actually be just what she needed to improve her mood. "Yes, please." She replied as she went to pour herself a cup of coffee before sliding onto the stool next to Thea who was eyeing her closely.

Suddenly, Thea's features pulled into an angry frown. "You didn't talk to him." She announced.

Felicity took a long sip of her warm coffee, shaking her head solemnly as she set the mug back down on the countertop. "I fell asleep before he got home last night, and, well, now he's gone. The only reason I definitely know he came home is because I woke up in his room this morning." She relayed with a deep frown of her own.

An undignified noise of frustration slipped from Thea's lips. "I swear, I had no idea my brother could be this stupid." She nearly growled as she took an angry sip of her morning tea. "What are you going to do now?"

Felicity raised a curious eyebrow at Thea. "What, no death threats on your brother's life?" She teased dryly as she brought her mug to her lips again. She seriously needed more caffeine in her system for this conversation.

"Nope. I figure you've got that one taken care of all on your own when you find him." She retorted with a snort. "But seriously, you're still going to talk to him, right?"

Nodding into her coffee, she gulped down her sip before lowering the mug again. "Yeah. If he still won't face me even after I've come to his house to track him down, something is really wrong. There's no way he didn't realize why I was here, so now I know he's avoiding me on purpose, but I just can't figure out why."

Thea nodded pensively. "So, how are you going to find him?"

Felicity stared down at her coffee with a slight frown. How was she going to find him? She knew for certain now that he wouldn't pick up his phone if she tried to call him. _Wait, his phone..._ , she contemplated, the wheels turning in her head as an idea formed.

She flinched back in surprise slightly, her eyes widening when the idea finally hit her. Biting her lip, she shook her head to herself. She didn't want to go there, but she was desperate at this point and she couldn't let Oliver fall further into this hole he was digging for himself.

"What're you thinking?" Thea asked softly.

Felicity's gaze jumped to Thea suddenly, almost like she forgot she was there for a moment while she was lost in her thoughts. "Um, it's probably better if you don't know. The less you know the better." She responded cryptically. "I should be able to find him though." She added absentmindedly as she stared at her coffee again, lost in the logistics of her plan.

"Okayyy..." Thea said hesitantly as she eyed her friend with concern. "As long as you bring him back to us, I won't ask questions, promise."

At that moment, Raisa spun around with a plate piled high with her famous blinchiki which she gently placed between the two somber girls. "Miss Felicity?" She intoned gently after observing the tense pair for a second.

Felicity's head shot up as she looked at Raisa with wide, worried eyes.

A comforting smile curled Raisa's lips for Felicity, despite the sadness in her eyes. "Mr. Oliver... he has been through too much. But, I think you know this because you've seen it." Raisa observed cryptically with knowing eyes. "You must forgive his mistakes. That boy loves you. He just doesn't know how to show you anymore. If you do find him, listen to him. He's just scared, but he'll come around."

Felicity eyed whom she considered to be a second mother to her carefully. She knew, in her gut, Raisa was telling the truth because Raisa loved Oliver like a son and had no reason to lie to Felicity. "Thank you, Raisa. I just hope you're right."

* * *

After her quiet breakfast with Thea, Felicity had disappeared back to her apartment and locked herself in for the rest of the day as she worked on her project.

It didn't take her long to write the code and find the pieces she needed to complete the search, she knew it wouldn't, but she couldn't bring herself to press the button and run the code. She vowed, after Cooper, to never use her skills again, no matter what. But, this was a very special circumstance.

She spent countless hours that evening trying to come up with another way, her tablet containing her code taunting her from her coffee table the whole time, and her fingers itching to pull the trigger. When it got late enough, she even convinced herself to go to sleep, telling herself if she gave it a night she might come up with a miracle solution.

No such luck though when she found her feet dragging her sleepless self out of bed and back into the living room where she had left her tablet around 11 pm.

She needed to know. Puzzles were her worst enemy, and this one begged to be solved. If not for her peace of mind then for her soul because she wanted, no, needed her soulmate and she was worried sick about him.

It was honestly scary how easy it was – pushing the button and selling her soul to hacking ( _such an ugly word_ ) again. But, for Oliver, it was worth it.

The excruciatingly long wait almost gave Felicity an aneurysm though. Technically, the code didn't take more than five minutes to search the whole city for his cellphone's IP address, but it felt like an eternity as she sat there on her couch, right leg bouncing up and down anxiously, hands gripping her pajama pants until her knuckles turned white, and her heart racing in her chest as she stared at the screen, unwilling and unable to look away as she waited.

When the results window finally popped-up, Felicity jumped slightly in surprise at the sudden appearance. She recovered quickly though, scrambling to pick up her tablet and see where he'd been disappearing to the last few days.

"What... this makes no sense." She said quietly to herself, her brow scrunching up in confusion.

His phone, at least, was in the Glades. Doing a quick Google search of the coordinates her code gave her, more specifically, the signal was coming from an old abandoned factory in the Glade that used to belong to Queen Consolidated no less.

Her mind raced with questions. Why is he in the Glades? Is he stupidly looking for their attackers? Did something happen to him? Is he okay? Just what the frack is going on?  
She thought this would clear up this mystery, but of course nothing was ever that simple.

Staring long and hard at the coordinates of his phone's last known location, Felicity took a deep breath, a look of determination settling over her face. Rising from the couch, she marched into her room to change into a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt before pulling on a pair of sneakers and hastily collecting her phone and tablet on her way out of her apartment, heading for her Mini Cooper with determined strides. After being attacked in the Glade just a few days ago, she knew better than to go into the Glades at this time of night, but she wasn't about to let that stop her from getting to the bottom of this because Oliver is clearly hiding something, something big, from all of them.

It was five anxious minutes before Felicity pulled up to Oliver's supposed location with a confused frown on her face. Nothing seemed out of place about the factory upon first glance. It looked exactly as it should: old, abandoned, no one going in and no one coming out, and not a single light on inside. The only thing that had her getting out of her car and venturing into the building was the fact that there was no way her code was wrong. Though her search was just for his phone's location, there was a chance he was here too and her gut told her it was worth investigating.

Quietly roaming around the dusty space, cautiously stepping over the debris littering the floor, she shook her head in disbelief. It looked like there really wasn't anyone here. Standing in the middle of the factory, her shoulders slumped in defeat as her eyes swiveled around the entire room one last time. This just couldn't be a dead end. She had to be missing something...

On the far side of the room to her right, her eyes landed on a door that she'd missed in her initial inspection. Felicity tilted her head to her left curiously as she carefully made her way across the room to the door. It looked... new. It was a bit shinier than the rest of the dusty, run-down space and she could see the faint blinking of a red light from a keypad. The security system was still active. This was a good sign.

Pulling out her phone, she turned on the flashlight feature before shining the bright light on the mysterious keypad. It seemed fairly new, as she had correctly concluded, but she could already see the prints left behind by frequent use of four of the keys: 0, 1, 2, and 6.

Biting her lip gently, she contemplated the new puzzle before her. It would take her a while to figure out the code, even if it was a simple four-digit security system. Though she had her tablet on her, she needed a more advanced setup to hack into the electronics and disable the lock, so she would have to do this the old-fashioned way. Taking a deep breath, Felicity went to work, meticulously and systematically punching in code after code using the four numbers she knew it contained.

After the third code, Felicity scoffed quite loudly, the sound echoing throughout the empty space. Clearly, whomever this locked room belonged to didn't bother to include a failsafe against people trying to randomly punch in codes like she was. _Amatures_ , she laughed to herself as she continued with her task.

Luckily, it didn't take as long as she thought it would. The tenth or so attempt triggered the light on the keypad from red to green using the code 1026. Fist pumping quickly to celebrate, her excitement quickly changed into curiosity she pushed the door open. The code happened to be her birthday. _Hmm, odd_ , she pondered briefly, shrugging it off as a weird coincidence as she carefully moved down the metal stairs into the darkened basement.

At the bottom, with her heart beating wildly in her chest, Felicity's hand felt the wall to her left, looking for a light switch of some sort. Finally, after a little searching, her fingers brushed a switch that she promptly flipped when she realized what it was.

The moment the dim lights flickered on, a gasp tore from her lips.

She had just incidentally stumbled upon the biggest surprise of her life.

There was a whole work space in the basement.

Tentatively moving further into the space, she held her breath as she moved around the sparse setup. There were four industrial style metal tables set up in the main area, each for a different purpose, and some odd-looking workout equipment on the other side of the work space.

Walking in front of the first desk closest to her, she tentatively lifted a hand to brush over the large wooden trunk perched on the table that was decorated with Chinese characters and firmly locked, unfortunately. A small frown tugged at her features as she stared at the box. Something about the trunk looked familiar and triggered something in the back of her mind. She'd file that away for now though.

Moving over to another table, it was littered with seemingly random objects including newspaper clippings and maps of the city. Her curious frown deepened. Most of the newspaper clippings happened to pertain to all of the Starling City vigilante's targets thus far, including a few other articles that didn't really seem to fit.

Giving the items one last long look, Felicity moved over to a third table that contained a woefully rudimentary tech setup. "Poor babies. Clearly your owner has no idea how to use you properly." She lamented, running her fingers over the desktop computer lovingly.

As her eyes roamed over the setup, she spotted something familiar off to one side: Oliver's phone. She would recognize it anywhere because she picked it out for him.

"I knew I wasn't wrong." She breathed, both proud of herself and worried. If Oliver's phone was down here in this dingy basement, then where was Oliver? And, what was his phone doing down here in the first place?

Trying her best to quell the worry bubbling up in her stomach, Felicity tore herself away from his phone to inspect the final table. What she found caused her stop short, her eyes widening and eyebrows shooting up to her hairline.

The table was littered with dozens of green arrowheads, several tubes containing bundles of carbon fiber arrow shafts, and various machine shop type tools, most notably among the other hand tools littered all over the table.

Her brain worked overtime as she stared down at the final piece of the puzzle. The computers, the secrecy, the newspaper clippings, and the arrow making materials, they all led to one conclusion: this is the Starling City vigilante's hide out.

What still confused her was how, in her search for Oliver, she had ended up here. Something still wasn't adding up.

With a frown, her gaze swung over to Oliver's phone curiously before she found herself walking back over to it. Delicately picking it up, she turned it over in her hands a few times as her mind simultaneously turned over the overwhelming amount of information she'd just been presented with from her discovery.

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she slowed her thoughts as she started from the beginning.

Oliver had been distant ever since he returned. Then, there was the way he fought off their attackers, like a highly skilled fighter. Not to mention, Oliver kept odd hours, staying out until well past midnight. Somehow, her search for Oliver led her to the Starling City vigilante's lair, the pass code to which just happened to be her birthday. Incidentally, the factory housing the lair once belonged to Queen Consolidated before the city repossessed it after Robert Queen's untimely demise. Even stranger, she remembered that Oliver disappeared last night around the same time the vigilante was spotted. And, it turns out the vigilante uses...

"Oh my god, green arrows." She breathed out in shock, her trembling right hand automatically coming up to touch the base of her neck, her breath coming out in short, ragged pants. It was all so unbelievably clear to her now.

 

"Don't move." A low voice growled behind her.

 

Of course, she didn't listen because she knew he wasn't going to hurt her, so she spun around, her shocked, angry, confused eyes landing on - as she suspected - the vigilante.

He stood at the base of the stairs, his bow drawn in what she supposed he thought was a threatening gesture, but he kept his head tipped down, his green hood shadowing his most of face. She didn't need to see his face though to know exactly who was under that hood.

"I don't know how you found this place, but you shouldn't be here. You need to leave. Now." He growled forcefully, though she didn't miss the hint of desperation to his request.

Now she was mad. He was going to try and play dumb, hoping she hadn't figured it out and that she might just forget about all of this. Oh hell no. Squaring herself up, she crossed her arms over her chest as she stood her ground. Time for her loud voice. "Oliver Jonas Queen. Don't play games with me right now. Lower that hood and look at me."

He reared back noticeably, seemingly surprised at the sound of his name. It took him a suspenseful minute though before his taught hold on the bowstring relaxed and he finally lowered the bow in resignation. He didn't say anything though or make to remove his hood. Instead, he stood there with his head down, the hood still hiding his face, and his shoulders slumped over in defeat.

"Oliver..." She started more softly this time, taking a few tentative steps towards him only to stop when she saw him tense up. "Please, talk to me." She begged softly.

He didn't budge. The only sign of his resolve weakening was the ragged rise and fall of his chest and slight tremble she noticed in his hands.

Carefully, Felicity took a few steps towards him. When he didn't tense up this time or flinch away from her, she knew he was silently relenting to her. With her heart hammering away in her chest, she slowly closed the rest of the distance between them until they were almost toe-to-toe.

Peering up under his hood, she saw the tight set of his lips and the rhythmic flexing of his jaw despite the deep shadow cast across his face, giving away his apprehension. Slowly, she brought her hands up towards his face. When her fingertips brushed the stubble on his jaw, she heard him inhale sharply as he flinched away from her touch.

"Oliver." She warned softly. She wasn't about to take no for an answer, but she wanted him to want to open up to her.

Watching him carefully, the tension in his body slowly dissipated, his shoulders relaxing and leaning into her a little as he gave in. Nervously biting down on her lip, Felicity lifted her hands to his face again, gently sliding her fingers over his jaw and through his hair as she pushed the hood back from his face and then brought her hands back around to gently cup his face in her hands.

With a shaky inhale and exhale, she lifted her eyes up to his, her breath leaving her when his pained, worried blue eyes stared back at her through a thick layer of grease paint. Though she knew, with undeniable certainty, in her mind that Oliver was the Starling City vigilante, it still surprised her to see those familiar eyes revealed to her from underneath the hood.

"Felicity." He pleaded weakly.

She didn't know what exactly he was pleading for though. She doubted he knew either, to be honest. Was it for forgiveness for hiding this? For avoiding her? For foolishly trying to deceive her just now? Or was he begging her not to do this, not to open this metaphorical Pandora's Box that would probably change everything about their relationship?

Dropping her hands down to his chest, she sighed as she took a step back, using her hands to press herself away from him. With a shake of her head, her hands slipped from his chest as she crossed her arms in front of herself again. "You have some explaining to do mister, so you had better get started."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blinchiki (if you haven't already Googled it thinking I totally made up a word lol) is essentially what Russians call crepes!
> 
> Hehehe, sorry not sorry for that semi-cliffhanger. His secret is out in the open now, so both Felicity and Oliver are about to lay all their cards on the table in the next chapter. It's gonna be hella emotional, so stock up on tissues now.
> 
> Don't forget to drop me a line of your thoughts on this chapter, or if there's any side story/missing scene you'd like me tackle as a part of my celebratory side project!


	19. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!!! I promise, I am alive and I cannot tell you how sorry I am for the incredibly long delay.
> 
> If you don't follow my other multi-chapter WIP, then you might not know that I recently started graduate school. With all of my obligations, it's been keeping me busier than I imagined, and hence the delay on this chapter. So, I really hope you all can forgive me. I can't say when the next update will be either, because that depends on my schedule and my muse, but I PROMISE that I will not abandon this story. There's still a lot to come, and I want to see it through!
> 
> So, if you're still with me on this crazy journey, here's the latest chapter, and I really, really hope it was worth the wait because we left off at a pivotal point and I wanted to do their discussion justice.
> 
> Enjoy!

Felicity stood in front of his work bench, carefully turning one of the green arrowheads over in her hand, absentmindedly observing it as she tried to wrap her mind around the fact that Oliver is actually the vigilante while he changed. Since her visit was incidentally a surprise, giving him a moment to clean up and change was the least she could do.

She relished a moment to herself too. When she had come looking for him, she just expected this to be a simple 'Why are you avoiding me? Stop being an idiot.' conversation. This discovery changed everything, and everything she planned to say had to be thrown out the window.

Hearing his footsteps reappear behind her, she slowly turned around to see him making his way over to the giant wooden trunk with his suit neatly bundled in his arms. He looked almost plain, dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a grey t-shirt. Suddenly, he was Oliver again, such a stark contrast to the man she'd seen under the green hood he carried in his arms now. The only trace that they were one in the same person was the lingering smudges of grease paint around his eyes that he hadn't been able to remove.

Gripping the arrowhead in her fingers a little tighter, she watched him deftly open the trunk, deposit his gear inside, and then pull something small out. After he gently shut the lid again, her eyes tracked him around the space as he moved to sit at a stool next to an empty table in the middle of the space, his fingers anxiously fidgeting with what she now noticed was a small notebook that he held in his hands.

"You know," Felicity started softly when it became clear Oliver wasn't going to be the first to speak, "everything makes so much sense... I don't know how I didn't see it. I mean, our marks are a dead giveaway." She observed with a nervous laugh.

Oliver's lips twitched a little at that. It took him another minute though before he finally found the courage to speak. "Are you mad at me?" He asked softly and tentatively, like he was afraid of her answer.

Blowing out a tense breath, Felicity closed her eyes for a moment as she calmed her frazzled nerves. When she slowly re-opened her eyes, she looked him right in the eyes, letting him see the multitude of emotions she was struggling to understand. "I don't know." She said honestly with a small shrug.

He flinched slightly at her response, the pain he couldn't completely hide from her flashing over his face briefly.

Turning to her right, she broke his gaze momentarily to place the arrowhead back where it came from on the table behind her before moving over to the chair in front of his computer setup and directly across from Oliver. "I was mad this morning when you continued to avoid me even after I came to you. I tracked you down, ready to give you a piece of my mind for being so stupid, but I never expected to find this when I arrived." She said, gesturing to the room with her hands. "I don't know what I feel now." She finished weakly.

Looking around the room again, Felicity shook her head in disbelief once more that this was all real and not another one of her crazy dreams. " _Should_ I be mad at you?"

His only response was to look away from her, his eyes dropping sadly to the book he gripped desperately in his hands.

She shook her head at that. His silence wasn't helping her understand any of this, so she pressed again. "Were you ever going to tell me? Or were you just going to hide this from me and hope I never got curious about why you disappear all the time?"

More frustrating silence.

"Damn it, Oliver! Answer me!" She said, her voice rising an octave in frustration at his continued silence as she rose to her feet again, stepping up to him to try and get him to look at her. "I just want you to be honest with me and tell me what's going on. I'm not going to run away, I promise." She added, much softer this time, laying a supportive hand on his thigh and letting her steady gaze show him that she meant every word from the bottom of her heart.

Oliver's eyes flickered to hers quickly before he forced them away again, staring at a spot over her shoulder. "You should though." He breathed out finally, his face contorting painfully as he said the words, like he didn't want to say them.

Felicity huffed out a frustrated breath. This man is so dense. "Oliver..." She started firmly, only to be quickly cut off.

"I'm dangerous, Felicity!" He interrupted loudly, finally looking up to her with wild, desperate eyes, begging her to understand. "You saw what I did in the Glades. You know what I am now and you've heard on the news the violent things I've done as the Hood. I'm not the man I once was. You're not safe with me." He admitted, his gaze softening into a remorseful one, his breathing ragged and pained after the outburst.

"That's why you've been avoiding me?!" She asked incredulously, poking an angry finger into his chest. She couldn't believe the nonsense he was saying right now. "It worries me because I think you actually believe what you're saying."

Closing her eyes briefly, Felicity inhaled and exhaled slowly to chase away her frustrations at his stubbornness. "You're right, you have some really _interesting_ methods of stopping some really bad people – we're going to have a talk about that later -, but you're wrong about everything else." She said, bringing a hand up to gently cup his jaw, her eyes never wavering from his as she spoke. "That day, in the Glades, I should have been scared. I mean, they drugged me and I couldn't do anything to protect myself. But, you know what? I never felt safer in my life. I knew that you would keep me safe. I trusted you - I will _always_ trust you. I know you would never hurt me."

His eyes fluttered shut at her gentle touch, her heart stuttering slightly when she felt him lean a little into her hand. She had forgotten how much she missed him these last few days, and the warm, comfortable tingle spreading from her hand up through her arm in this moment only served as a reminder.

Savoring this moment together a little longer, Oliver eventually opened up his eyes again, sadness tinting his gaze this time. "Felicity... the truth... it's not a happy story. You're going to look at me differently..."

She frowned at what he was implying. It disappointed her that he really seemed to think she would give up on him so easily. The last five years had been tough for both of them, but that wasn't a reason to run. If anything, it was the reason they should hold each other even closer.

With a long breath, her hand dropped from his face, panic momentarily flooding his eyes until she gently placed her hand on his stomach, right over his soulmark. Using her other hand, Felicity reached behind herself to touch the base of her neck, gesturing to her own mark. "This still means something to me Oliver. I told you in the hospital the day you came home to me, that nothing has changed for me. Trust me when I say I'm not going anywhere. I hope it still means something to you too."

"Of course." He croaked out, his longing gaze drifting down to where her hand lay on his stomach. "But, I can't let you stay just because we're marked as soulmates."

She let out a frustrated huff at his insistence. "I apparently didn't make myself clear enough. It not just about the mark, Oliver. Our mark only told us something we both knew but never wanted to believe when we were younger. I know you better than anyone else. I know this," she tapped a finger to his temple, "and I know this," placing her hand over his heart now, "like they are my own. I'll love you not just because of the best parts of you, but because of the worst parts too. They make you who you are, and I know _exactly_ what kind of man you are Oliver." She insisted firmly with a fire in her eyes, her fingers curling around his shirt over his heart, begging for him to really listen to her for once in his life.

His eyes held her gaze for a breath, slightly shocked by her words and the gravity of what she was telling him. After a moment, he dropped his eyes down to the book in his hands, but not because he was avoiding her gaze. Eyeing it silently, he took a deep breath before holding it out to her and lifting his unsure eyes back up to hers.

She looked between him and the notebook a few times, slightly confused as to what this had to do with everything, but she eventually released his shirt and slipped the book from his fingers. Curiously, she opened it with a shaky hand and slowly flipped the pages, one by one. The furrow of her brow deepened as she saw page after page of just... names. Surprisingly, she recognized a few of them. Two of them were men he had targeted as the vigilante, and a few other names struck her as familiar because she recalled they were some of QC's upper management. The rest though were just a bunch of meaningless names to her with seemingly no tangible connection to one another. Gently closing the book when she realized there was nothing else in it, she looked back up to him in utter confusion.

A dark frown marred his own brow now. His lips pulled into a thin line as he gently reached out and retrieved the book from her loose grip. "When the Gambit sank, my dad... my dad made it into the life raft with me and one other surviving crew member." He started slowly, his voice cracking a little as he spoke.

Felicity's heart did a weird, erratic thump in her chest at what he was implying. She had no idea Robert hadn't died right when the boat sank. But, obviously, this didn't have a happy ending.

"We didn't have enough supplies for the three of us, and Dad knew it." His eyes clenched shut painfully as he inhaled and exhaled shakily. Felicity instantly reached out and placed her hand over his, the tight grip his fingers had on the notebook loosened noticeably. "My father shot the crew member before eventually taking his own life." He croaked.

Felicity gasped sharply as his words washed over her. Her stomach rolled, a wave of nausea hitting her hard. Taking a few staggering steps back, Felicity collapsed into the chair across from him again. If just hearing about it made her this sick, she couldn't even begin imagine how traumatizing that was for him to witness. She wanted nothing more than to hold him and take away the pain, but she knew neither her wobbly legs nor her churning stomach would let that happen right now.

It took him a minute, as he relived that painful moment, before he continued, this time with a much steadier voice. "Before that though, my dad handed me that book. He told me he wasn't the man I thought he was. He wanted me to survive, be a better man than he ever was, and right his wrongs. I eventually learned that the book contained a list of names, of people who played a part in the decline of this city, people who leeched off those too weak to protect themselves. This... being the vigilante... it's my way of fulfilling my father's dying wish to save this city."

For a moment, Felicity could do nothing but stare at him, her mouth parted in shock. She knew he had to have a good reason for his vigilantism, but she never would have imagined this was why. Robert Queen killed himself to save his son and asked his son to survive and save the city, starting with the list of names in this book. There was still one aspect about this that confused her though.

"Wh... why a vigilante? Why do this in the shadows? There has to be a safer way that doesn't put you in danger every night." Felicity eked out once she managed to find her voice again. She couldn't deny his method of choice made her incredibly anxious.

"Felicity, these people... they don't play by the rules. They buy their protection so they can keep bleeding this city dry while everyone turns a blind eye. I couldn't go to the SCPD or the DA's office with any of this because most of them are in the pockets of the biggest players. It's a never-ending cycle of corruption. That's why this can only be done from the shadows, and this is only way I knew how."

Crossing her arms over her chest, she couldn't help but frown. What he was saying made sense, but she still didn't quite understand it all just yet. Hopefully, as she learned more about his time on the island, she'd come to understand why he had chosen this path.

Sliding her gaze from his, she looked around the room again, still trying to take all of this in. "So... where did you learn all of this? The fighting and the bow and arrow skills, I mean."

Oliver watched her for a moment with wide eyes, clearly surprised that she wasn't running for the hills already. "I, um, I wasn't alone on the island." He said quietly, a darkness passed over his face quickly at the memory. It was a look that made her shiver.

Felicity watched him, transfixed with curiosity. If her nightmares were anything to go on, she knew exactly why he wasn't telling her the whole truth just yet and that it would take time for him to get to the place where he could really open up about even a portion of it.

For a moment, after the dust had settled in her mind and all the pieces fell into place, she was actually angry. It surprised her because it wasn't directed at Oliver. She was actually angry at Robert for forcing this burden on Oliver. Not that this isn't a worthy crusade, it's just a lot to ask of your son with your dying breath. Trying to save a city on the brink of self-destruction, using nothing but a list of names, is an impossible task for one man to do alone, no matter how skilled the man. She didn't let the anger consume her though. There was no point in it now. Oliver had accepted the burden, but that didn't mean he had to bear it alone.

"Okay." She said quietly after a prolonged silence.

His gaze snapped back up to hers, his eyebrow quirked in mild confusion. "Okay, what?"

"I'm not letting you do this by yourself."

"Felicity!" He exclaimed, definitely with a little bit of frustration. "I didn't tell you this because I wanted you to help me. It was the opposite actually. I want you to stay as far away from this as possible. Like you said, this is dangerous and I can't let you put yourself in a position where you might get hurt. Please."

"You need my help, Oliver! I'm still not sure I entirely approve of this, but I can't let you do this by yourself every night – putting your life at risk like it's worthless. I couldn't let something happen to you, knowing I could prevent it. Though I'd be a liability in the field, I can work from here in the safety of your hideout." She insisted, quirking her eyebrow back at him, daring him to challenge her logic.

He crossed his arms over his chest now, staring her down in a silent challenge, one which she stood her ground on. She was very serious. Ever since her hacktivist days in college, she always had a desire to help people, and it just so happened that her soulmate was trying to save the city from itself. She could finally put her unique skill set to good use and assist him with his missions – the brains to his brawn. And, it would definitely put her mind at ease knowing he wasn't just blindly running around at night without a second thought for his safety.

Running a frustrated hand through his hair, he huffed as he stood up from his stool and practically stomped over to the trunk where he replaced the book. When he closed the lid and locked the trunk again, he gripped the rough edges of the trunk, his whole back taught under his shirt. She could tell he wasn't happy with her decision, but she wasn't letting this go.

"Don't you dare push me away. I've tried that before and it doesn't work." She begged of him, her voice cracking only slightly as the memories flashed through her mind.

Oliver whipped around suddenly and instantly trained his gaze on her. Gone was the frustration as concern washed over his features instead, the change in her tone putting him on alert immediately. He took a few steps forward, moving part of the way around the metal table separating them. "What?" He choked out.

"I ran away. Five years ago. And I didn't... no, couldn't set foot in Starling City for two years." She admitted seriously.

Oliver's eyes widened ever so slightly as her words washed over him, his lips parting in shock. "Felicity, you don't have to do this now. We can talk about this la-" He tried to interrupt, but Felicity gave him a stern look, silencing him immediately.

"No, we're doing this now because I want you to hear this." She cut in firmly. With a breath, her demeanor softened again as she took a step closer to him. Naturally, Oliver moved another step closer as well. "Don't misunderstand, I'm not telling you this to upset you. I'm telling you because you don't seem to get that this isn't just about you. There's a point to this, I promise." She explained, finally reaching across the gap between them, brushing her fingers down his forearm before sliding them into his hand which she gave a small squeeze. She needed their connection at the moment just as much as he did. "So please, let me do this."

His eyes immediately drifted down to their joined hands, staring at them for a moment with a hint of a smile on his lips. That momentary happiness disappeared though when his pained eyes sought out her gaze again.

Though, when he didn't say anything, Felicity took it as a sign that he was going to listen this time. "To all of us – Tommy, Thea, your Mom, ...me – you _died_ that day, Oliver." She started, diverting her gaze from his to look around the room. Though she had come to terms with what happened after he died, it would kill her to see the pain in his eyes as he lived her memories for the first time.

"Despite the way you discovered I was your soulmate, you forgave me and agreed to give us a shot when you got home. I was finally happy, finally felt like I could be happy. When you died... it was karma telling me I didn't deserve that happiness. Everything here reminded me of the mistakes I made when it came to us, what I denied you, what would never be. I felt like I was suffocating, so I left." She explained, now fidgeting with the hem of her sweatshirt using her free hand since Oliver refused to let her other hand out of his strong but comforting grip.

"I went to Boston. Everyone knew where I was. I wasn't really trying to hide, but I made it really difficult for anyone to find me. I think the only reason no one came looking for me was because I checked in just often enough so they knew I was still alive." She said, huffing out a short laugh, trying to cut a little of the tension she could feel rolling off Oliver's body. "While I was in Boston, I threw myself into school, and not in a healthy way. If I stopped working, I started thinking about the fact that I lost you, and all of my regrets, pain, and sadness came back."

Pausing, Felicity inhaled a shaky breath. "When school work wasn’t enough to distract me, I joined a hacktivist group on campus. That's when I took a really dark turn. I slowly cut myself off from the few friends I had left at MIT, stopped talking to Tommy and Thea all together, I dyed my hair black, got these piercings," motioning to her right ear, "and I started dressing in all black. You should have seen me." She said with a snort, shaking her head in disbelief at the memory. At least she was in a good enough place to truly have a good laugh about it now.

The humor faded quickly though as she continued on with her story. "I originally joined the hacktivists because I was in such extreme denial." She admitted softly. "I didn't want to accept that you were really dead. I had always been good with computers, but with the hacktivists I learned how to navigate the dark web to search for answers. I was scarily good at it too, but it wasn't healthy for me. I searched non-stop for evidence that you were still alive, but that also meant that I never let myself come to terms with your death. To be honest, I don't know if I would have ever dealt with things if I didn't have a wake-up call at the end of my senior year." She revealed, her head dipping in shame.

"One of the guys in the group used a code I had been developing for something illegal, and it resulted in the FBI arresting him in front of all of our peers in broad daylight. If I wasn't so consumed by my own festering grief, I would have seen the signs and maybe been able to stop him. That's when I realized I needed help. I couldn't keep going down that path or I would self-destruct, or maybe even end up in a cell like him." She said, biting her lip gently before finally raising her eyes to meet his.

Oliver's hand gave hers a supportive squeeze as he held her gaze, showing his support for her despite the heartbreak she could see behind his strong façade.

"A week after he was dragged off by the FBI in front of all of our peers, I made the decision to leave that life behind, start over, and finally come home after graduation." She said, gazing at him with conviction, though her heart clenched at the pain now in the forefront of his eyes. "I realized I was wrong. I thought I could deal with things on my own. I thought I just needed some time away, but I was so wrong." She paused, taking a deep breath. "I needed my friends and family. I kept my grief and the source of it a secret from everyone, and I spent two miserable years alone in Boston because of that choice." She admitted, clutching the hem of her sweatshirt between her fingers.

"What I'm trying to say is that I thought I could handle my problems on my own, and I will regret that choice for the rest of my life. Not only did I hurt myself, but I hurt everyone around me with my choice to isolate myself from my loved ones and bear my burden alone." She said, her voice thick with emotion again.

"So, please, Oliver. Don't make the same mistake I did." She begged again, keeping her eyes focused on his. "You don't have to do this alone. I would have given anything to have had you by my side during those dark times. You need me now, just like I needed you then. We've given a second chance at this Oliver, and I'm not going to lose you because you're being your usual stubborn self. I told you I want to help, so let me be here for you."

Oliver had closed his eyes again, his face twisted in pain as he gave her hand a small squeeze. "And I would have given anything to be there for you, Felicity. I wish that you never, ever had to go through that. I would make it all go away if I could. But, you know why I still can't let you help me, at least with the vigilante business. It's too dangerous." He pleaded, his eyes cracking open again to plead with her too.

Felicity wasn't surprised to hear him try to dissuade her one last time, but behind his dismissive words she knew he was faltering. "Please, just think about it? I know, with every fiber of my being, that you would keep me safe, just like I can keep you safe if you let me help you."

His lips pulled into a thin line as he stared her down. The indecision was there, but she didn't expect him to say yes now. She didn't want him to, honestly. She meant what she said when she told him to think about it because he had to want her help as much as she wanted to give it to him for this to work.

Scrubbing his free hand over his face a few times and then back through his short hair, he huffed out a frustrated sigh as he shifted his gaze over her shoulder for a moment. The wheels were turning. She could see it in his distant eyes. But, with the way the tension was slowly easing from his shoulders, she could tell his walls were crumbling.

When he finally brought his eyes back to her, he looked tired. She didn't blame him - she felt it too. They had both shed a lot of emotional baggage tonight.

"It's late. Let me take you home." He offered softly, as if reading her mind, his eyes begging her to let this go for now.

She knew this was as close to a yes as she was going to get from him to think about her request, and her bed did sound really inviting right now. "Sure." She acquiesced with a small squeeze of his hand.

With a tired but grateful smile, he gestured to the stairs. As Felicity started up them, the main lights went out around her, causing her to freeze for a moment until she felt Oliver's firm, reassuring hand on the small of her back, acting as a guide as they ascended the stairs together.

When they passed through the door and the electronic lock buzzed into locked mode again, she spared a quick glance over shoulder at him as they navigated the hazardous main level of the foundry. "That reminds me, you really need better security. My birthday? Really?" She said as they approached her car.

He actually managed a tired laugh, reaching around her to open her passenger side door for her. "I should have known it wouldn't be Felicity Smoak-proof. But, I'll keep it in mind. Wouldn't want any other unsuspecting visitors. One is my quota."

Shaking her head with a small laugh at his attempted humor, Felicity slid into the car and was quickly joined by Oliver.

As he started up her car and navigated them back to her apartment, Felicity couldn't help the sense of déjà vu that swept over her. This felt so much like the last time they were together, but everything was different at the same time. They still had a long way to go and a lot to discuss, but they had made so much progress.

Pulling up to her apartment, Oliver parked the car in one of the few open spots on her street and the pair exited the car to make their way up to her apartment together.

That was another difference. Last time Oliver kept not just an emotional distance but his physical distance from her as well, but this time he kept his hand on her lower back the entire journey up to her front door. She knew it wasn't forceful, but comforting instead, like he just wanted to feel her and know she was still there. She knew that's what it was because she felt the same way.

After getting her front door unlocked, she turned back to him to find him right in front of her, his chest nearly touching hers. Sucking in a deep breath, she lifted her gaze from his broad chest to his eyes, having to really tilt her head without her heels on and with their close proximity.

"Stay? Please?" She requested softly, her hopeful eyes searching his.

His eyebrow quirked slightly, and she realized what it sounded like she was implying, especially given their close proximity. "I was, um, just asking you to stay because I miss you. We don't have to do anything – not that it wouldn't be unreasonable because, I mean, we're soulmates and all. But, we've only ever kissed once and that was years ago, before all of this, and I doubt you even remember, so..."

"Deep breath, Felicity." He interrupted quietly with a tiny smile, lifting a hand to gently grip her shoulder. "I know what you meant..."

Clamping her mouth shut, she folded her lips between her teeth and looked at him with hopeful eyes. She didn't think she could handle it if he left again.

"… and yes, I'll stay." He finished with a stroke of his thumb over her cheek.

"Good, good. Okay." She breathed out, surprised that he agreed. Clearing her throat and breaking his gaze, she spun around and pushed her door open. Gesturing Oliver in first, Felicity followed close behind, flicking on the main lights for the moment and closing the door securely behind her.

When she finally turned back around, she watched Oliver as he slowly walked around her small apartment, which somehow looked even smaller with his large frame filling the space now, his gaze sweeping over every inch of her space like he was memorizing every little detail. As she stepped a little further into her quaint living room, Oliver stopped and looked up to her with a small smile. "I like it. It's very you."

Her cheeks reddened a little. "Um, I'm just going to go change," throwing a thumb to her left, gesturing to her bedroom, "I won't be long. Make yourself at home." She offered quietly before disappearing into her room and closing the door quietly behind her.

Not five minutes later, Felicity was back in her pajama shorts and a tank top, peaking her door open. "Oliver?" She called down the hall, slightly nervous when she didn't see him immediately.

Oliver appeared around the corner a moment later with a smile, coming from her kitchen with a glass of water in hand and making his way down the hallway to join her in her room.

Stepping back into her room, Felicity climbed into her bed and removed her glasses as Oliver stepped into the space, gently closing the door behind him and flicking off the overhead light. Coming over to take a seat on the unoccupied side of her bed, he deftly slipped his shoes off before twisting his torso to look at her.

He didn't say anything, and she couldn't really see all that well between the darkness and her poor eyesight, but she didn't need any of those things to see the question in his gaze. She felt it.

Licking her lips, she patted the space next to her. "It's okay. You know you don't have to ask."

He smiled, slipping under the covers to join her, rolling on his side so they were facing each other. "This is still new for us."

"That may be true, but we were close before we knew we were soulmates." She observed sleepily, gently tapping her fingers on the back of his hand lingering on the bed between them, her tired eyes fluttering shut.

In the back of her exhausted mind, she barely recalled the way he slipped his hand out from under hers, swept a few of her curls behind her ear, and then gently traced his fingers back down her arm before resting his hand on top of hers again. "Good night, Felicity." He whispered.

Logically, she knew she should be nervous about being in bed with him and the intimacy of it all, but it was like she'd been waiting for this her whole life. The naturalness of it all actually soothed her nerves. She felt more comfortable than ever now that he was here, and for the first time in five years she didn't fear falling asleep.

* * *

The next morning, it was a faint ringing that reluctantly pulled her out of her blissful slumber and back to consciousness.

First thing that registered with her upon waking was the feeling of Oliver all around her. Blinking her eyes open, she looked down to see his arm draped over her waist and she could feel him snuggled comfortably against her back.

A smile curled her lips. Waking up in the warm, safe arms of her soulmate had to be one of the best feelings in the world.

"Felicity, your phone." Oliver grumbled sleepily into her hair, clearly agitated at having been woken up by the noise.

With a sleepy flick of her hand in the direction of her phone, Felicity proceeded to ignore it, rolling over in his arms to face him instead. "I'm sure whatever it is can wait until a more reasonable hour." She mumbled as she snuggled against his chest, curling her arms between them and lacing her legs together with his. She wasn't ready to leave her bed, or Oliver and his glorious warmth.

A deep rumbling chuckle vibrated against her forehead, but he didn't move to contradict her. Or, at least she thought so until he lifted his arm from her waist. Her panic was short lived as she felt his fingers brush her temple, pushing some of her tousled hair behind her ear. "Did you sleep well?" He asked softly.

She nodded against his chest. Pressing a hand to his chest, she leaned back a little so she could look at him. "Best sleep in a long time." She affirmed with a big smile, her thumb starting to absentmindedly stroke his chest. "You? I know my bed is a little small, and I've been known to move around a lot, and clearly I hogged all of your space-"

Another rumbling chuckle as his breathy laugh filled the air between them. "Felicity, it's fine." He laughed out. Suddenly, all the humor drained from his face and was quickly replaced with something she couldn't quite read as he stared at her, suddenly hyper aware of their proximity as the air seemed to shift around them.

His large hand moved into her line of sight again as he brushed the back of his fingers over her cheek, then unfolding them to cup her face. "I've never slept better."

"Felicity?" He spoke again, slowly drawing out each syllable of her name like he never wanted the sentence to end. His eyes glanced down at her lips quickly before finding her eyes again.

At his gaze, albeit brief, Felicity's tongue automatically peeked out to wet said lips. "Uh huh?" She responded absentmindedly, her hooded gaze meeting his own darkened gaze.

"I just- what you said last night, about that kiss, of course I- "

She might never know what he was going to say, or where that was going to lead because the shrill ringing of her phone instantly cut through the moment, swiftly bringing them both back to reality. The desire drained quickly from their eyes as they stared at each other now with a mixture of disappointment and longing.

The ringing silenced before Felicity could react, both still processing the events of the last thirty seconds. Felicity hoped that maybe they could pick up where they had left off now that the call had silenced.

It seemed that wasn't in the cards for them though, especially when her phone came to life again not ten seconds after the last call ended.

"Frack! Somebody had better be dead, or dying, or else..." She grumbled angrily, scrambling across the bed and out of Oliver's arms to retrieve her phone.

Checking the screen quickly before hitting the answer button, she saw that she already had three missed calls from Thea and two text messages. And it wasn't even seven am. Somebody had better be very, very dead. "Hey, what's the emergency that you felt the need to wake me up before my alarm for work is even set to go off?" She said as soon as the call connected.

_"I'm really worried about Ollie. I don't think he came home last night and I..."_

Felicity huffed out a soft, albeit a little frustrated laugh. "Thea," She called into the phone, interrupting her frantic diatribe. "I know he didn't come home last night." She said, switching the phone to her right hand as she rolled over in bed to face Oliver again who grimaced briefly when he realized why his sister was calling.

_"What do you mean you know? Wait... you found him!? Where is he? Is he okay?"_

Clearing her throat a little awkwardly, a blush colored her cheeks. "Uh yeah, he's right next to me." She mumbled into the phone. One of Oliver's eyebrows quirked in amusement and sly grin tugged at his lips.

_"What... oh. Oh! Ew, Felicity. You know I've always rooted for you guys, but I really didn't need that mental image of my brother this early in the morning."_

Felicity sputtered a little, her face heating even more in her embarrassment, especially considering what might have happened if Thea hadn't interrupted them. "Thea!" She squeaked. "Oh my god, that's not what I... you know what, just don't worry about it."

_"Good idea."_ Thea responded sarcastically. _"Is everything okay though? I'm assuming things are because he's there, but..."_

A small smile curled her lips as her eyes found Oliver's. He looked so young right now, like the Oliver she used to remember - unburdened by the expectations of his father and of a city that had no idea of the good Oliver was trying to do just yet. The tired lines she noticed last night had smoothed, and he actually seemed content, even if it's just for this fleeting moment.

"Yeah, we're getting there." She answered finally. It was a little vague, but it was the truth.

_"Good, it's about time. Well, I guess I better let you get back to... it."_ Thea said suggestively.

"Thea..." She admonished gently, though not seriously at all given the little giggle she let out. She really was the number one supporter of her soulmate status with her brother. "I'll talk to you later." And with that, she hung up after Thea's goodbye from the other side.

Resting her hand that was still curled around her phone on the bed between them, Felicity's attention shifted from her conversation with Thea back to Oliver. He was looking at her curiously, the silent question dancing in his eyes.

"She got worried when you didn't come home last night." She explained, lifting a hand to tuck a few of her loose curls behind her ear.

Oliver's eyes tracked her hand as he briefly mulled over Felicity's words. "Ah."

Pulling her lips together, her eyes searched his for a moment before she spoke up again. "She really misses her big brother. I'm not the only one who's noticed your absence, Oliver."

"I know. I've been a terrible brother and son since I came home. I just..." He said, his eyes widening slightly as the truth seemed to spill out of him.

"I'm not saying you have to tell her about your night time activities, and by that I mean Mr. Growly of course, not this." She said, gesturing between them, a fleeting smile tugging at his lips at her nickname for his alter ego. "Just, start by going home and having breakfast with her before she has to go to school. She might ignore you, because let me tell you she's definitely threatened your life at how stupid you've been lately," Oliver grimaced at that despite her teasing tone, "but, it will show her you're making a real effort to reconnect." She finished, lifting her hand to tenderly brush her fingertips over his scruffy jaw in a soothing gesture.

It was a little unfair of her to ambush him and convince him to see Thea like that, but she had a feeling he would be a little more receptive right after waking up before he had a chance to fully withdraw into himself.

"Okay."

"Yeah?" She checked, her excitement lifting her tone. "She's going to be so happy to see you."

"I thought you just said..." He started, a little confused.

"Oh, she's not just going to stop being outwardly mad at you, but I promise you she will be happy." She assured.

Lifting her phone, she pressed the home button to light up the screen, only to groan when she saw the time. "I have to get ready for work." She explained sadly when she noticed his confused look before rolling over and slipping on her glasses.

"I should probably go too if I'm going to catch Thea." He said with a sigh as he got out of bed, slipping on his shoes that he had deposited nearby last night.

With a reluctant hum in agreement, Felicity's hesitant gaze found his as he came around her bed to stand by her door. He was right, he had to go and she had work, but she didn't want him to leave just yet. Leaving meant uncertainty.

Eventually, Felicity pushed herself up from her bed and followed after Oliver as he quietly led the way to her front door.

Standing there, with Felicity not moving to speak nor Oliver moving to leave, the only solace she took in him leaving was that he seemed as reluctant as she felt.

"Can I see you later?" She finally said softly, but her eyes on his, though hopeful, silently told him they weren't done talking and that she was determined to finish their discussion.

Searching her eyes for a breath, Oliver eventually nodded. "Yeah."

Before she could respond, Oliver had leaned in, brushing his lips over her temple in that soft way of his, one of his hands reaching up to brush down her bare arm. She shivered at both the softness of his touch and the brief tingle following the path of his hand. She hoped she never got used to that sensation because it was one of her favorite parts of their connection.

"I'll text you later." He said softly into her hair, letting his lips linger a moment longer before pulling away and quietly slipping out of her apartment with one last smile for her.

The definitiveness of his tone made her smile and her heart flutter. It was something so simple, but it meant the world to her after days of not knowing when she would ever see him again. It seemed like he was done running, and that thrilled her.

Now, if only she could convince him to accept her help with his little green secret...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I would absolutely love to hear your thoughts, so don't hesitate to leave a comment! I read each and every one of them, and they always brighten my day!


	20. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh!!! Hi!!!! After an embarrassingly long time, this is back!
> 
> School was crazy, but I have big hopes now that I'm on break for the time being. Though school was the primary reason it took me so long to update, I also didn't have a clear plan for the rest of the story and I never had time to sit down and think it through - despite having all the pieces ready to go. So, the good news is that I have a clear idea of where we're going, and I'm so so excited because it's good stuff!
> 
> So, if you're still with me and this story, enjoy the chapter!! It's the final chapter that really puts all the pieces in place, but I hope it was worth the wait :)
> 
> Enjoy!

Things were... good. 

In the days following her discovery of Oliver's after-hours activities, he made good on his promise to see her. More than once too. Usually it was for lunch at QC, but tonight was going to be different... The thought of it tugged at her lips as she ran around her tiny space, piling her strewn about clothes into her arms. 

All too soon, though, there was a heavy knock at her door, and Felicity jumped at the urgent noise. "Coming! Coming! Just- hang on!" She called out as she hurried towards her room. The moment she tossed her clothes on the floor, she slammed the door shut and took off for the front door. Skidding to a halt, she laid her hand on the handle and took a deep breath to calm herself before opening the door. 

"Oh." She squeaked. Her eyes met a wall of pure muscle. Well, a different wall of pure muscle than she was expecting. "I'm sorry, sir, you uh- might have the wrong place." 

"Diggle, I told you I wasn't lying. You don't need to scare her away, please." Oliver's calming voice assured from behind the wall in front of her. Then, his head appeared behind the big man's shoulder, and the sight instantly calmed her. "Hi." 

"Hey." She responded with a giddy grin before turning her gaze back to the man between them. "Hi, um, I'm-" 

"Felicity." He finished for her, a small smile finally cracking through his scrutinizing features. "Mr. Queen talks about you quite often. You can call me Diggle." He added with somewhat of a knowing grin as he stuck out his hand. 

Tentatively, Felicity took his hand, but her eyes were distracted by something else. "Oh, wow, your arms are huge! I mean, uh, there's nothing wrong with that! No! They're quite great. Oh, crap, Oliver, not that yours aren't great too, but wow. Have you seen his?!" She babbled, her cheeks turning more and more pink as the words just kept coming, her eyes darting between a smiling Oliver and an amused Diggle. 

"I see why he likes you." Diggle observed. "And, sorry about the greeting. My dear client here has been... slippery in the past. I just wanted to make sure he got _exactly_ where he was going tonight." He said, throwing a glance back at Oliver. 

Felicity laughed at that. "Trust me, I know how difficult he has been to track down lately. But, I'm glad he's here now." She said sincerely, her gaze now holding Oliver's over Diggle's shoulder. 

Clearing his throat, Diggle shuffled on his feet. "Well, I guess that's my cue. Call me if you need anything Mr. Queen – I won't be too far away." Diggle said with a look at Oliver. "It was nice to meet you, Felicity. I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of each other in the future." Diggle added with a genuine smile before slipping around Oliver. 

"Thank you, Diggle, have a good night." Oliver said with a curt nod. 

"Good night, Mr. Diggle." Felicity called after him as well, giving a small awkward wave. 

As soon as Diggle was out of sight, Oliver turned his full attention to Felicity. "Hi." He repeated. The smile in his eyes and on his lips hadn't wavered. 

"Hi." She echoed. Reaching out, she slipped a hand into his free one to tug him into her apartment. "What did you bring me?" She asked hopefully, spinning around to walk them backwards towards her couch as she eyed the familiar box in his left hand. 

"The Mancini's say hi... among other things." Oliver explained with a hint of laughter and a shrug as he placed the large pizza box down on her coffee table then plopped down onto the couch next to her. 

Her eyes lit up and her smile widened. "You read my mind. I've been craving their pizza all day." She said as she flipped the box open eagerly to reveal their favorite, steaming hot pizza. 

Then, she paused. "Wait... did you read my mind?" She asked, more curiously than anything. This whole experience was new to her, new to them both, so she had no idea what it all entailed. 

Oliver shook his head with a laugh as he reached out to take a slice. "No. At least, I don't think so. I guess I did have a feeling though – I've been hungry for it too. But I don't know if that's just me or the connection." He explained, letting a small laugh slip out at the end. 

"Hmm." Felicity hummed thoughtfully around a bite of her own slice as she settled into the couch. 

A few moments of silence ensued after that as they ate, but it was comfortable. It always had been between them. Oliver was the first to break it. "So, you think Diggle's arms are better than mine?" He teased, glancing sideways at Felicity. 

She startled at that and embarrassed blush colored her cheeks. "I- no! That's- that's not what I said! They're just really intimidatingly huge! Your arms are perfect. Like, wow, I mean I liked them before but it's like they became the arms of my dreams." She rushed out nervously. 

Oliver shook his head and didn't even bother hiding the amused chuckle that bubbled up inside of him. Then, he reached out and placed his hand on her knee. "I'm just messing with you. But, it's nice to hear how much you really appreciate my arms." 

Felicity clamped her mouth shut with a small frown. She slapped at his hand on her knee before crossing her arms over her chest and turning away from him slightly. "No fair, Oliver. You know I have a problem with my filter around you." 

Reaching up, Oliver brushed a piece of her loose hair behind her ear, gently brushing the industrial bar on the way by. "I know. But, I'll never hate listening to you babble. They make you, you." 

At his touch, Felicity's eyes slid back over to his. Her breathing slowed as a wave of calm swept through her and the world fell away for a moment. "You really are unfair." She whispered, though she sounded like she was a million miles away. 

Holding her gaze for another moment, Oliver eventually shifted, distracting himself by grabbing another slice of the diminishing pizza. "It goes both ways, you know." He shared with a wistful smile. 

Her heart fluttered wildly. It had taken a while, and she was still in disbelief to some degree, but she was finally starting to see that. It was in his gestures, the way his fingers would linger on her with their delicate touch, or the way he looked at her when he thought she didn't notice. There was no doubt the connection was there, like it always had been, just amplified now. 

In the new wave of silence, Felicity followed his lead and started in on another slice of pizza. "Mmm, guess what." Felicity started around a mouthful. 

"What...?" 

"Tommy's going to kill me for telling you first, but I thought I should warn you." She prefaced and earned a quirked eyebrow from a curious Oliver. "He wants to throw you a welcome home bash next weekend at that club... uh, Beta. Well, he actually has it all planned out already, he just hasn't told you." 

Oliver's lips suddenly pressed into a flat line and his brows crinkled together in worry. "Felicity, that's not who I am anymore. I don't need a big party." 

Leaning forward, Felicity placed her hand on his forearm. Her eyes lingered a moment longer on her hand as she curled her fingers around him in a gentle squeeze. "I know. But, it would make Tommy really happy if you went along with it. I promise I'll be right there with you. Who knows, maybe you'll have a good time." She proposed with a helpless shrug, lifting her apologetic eyes back up to his. 

Oliver glanced down at her hand on his arm. When he finally lifted his eyes back up to hers, the unease remained, but his eyes weren't as guarded. "You're right. I know I need to make more of an effort for them, and I guess this is a start." He relented with a heavy sigh. 

An encouraging smile tugged at her lips. "Thank you. I know it'll make him really happy." 

Then, Oliver's eyes suddenly dropped to his feet and the fingers of his left hand fidgeted with some invisible object, his whole demeanor shifting. "I guess, ironically, this is a good time to tell you I'm thinking of opening my own club." 

She leaned back a bit, tilting her head as she observed him. "Uh yeah, that might be important for me to know. Also, I'm ignoring how contradictory that is considering you just said that's not who you are anymore." 

"I know, I know. The public don't see it that way though, so it's not totally unthinkable to them. But, I promise there's a real reason too." He paused, his lips pursing together in concentration as he formed the next words. "When we drove through the Glades, you told me how that part of the city is dying. My father's old steel factory is the perfect example of that. But, seeing the Mancini's, and how successful they are in such a dark time for the Glades, still brings hope to people. I can't... I don't want to work at QC. Not never, but I'm just not ready to shoulder that responsibility. I still want to publicly help make this city better, and right now that's bringing a little more life to the Glades by refurbishing my father's old steel factory into something better." 

"That's... very noble of you. I think it's a great idea. People are going to love it because I know you'll make it great." She said, a beaming smile curling her lips for him. Clearly, he had put some thought into this, and if it makes him happy, then she's happy too. "Plus, I guess you need an excuse to cover up your frequent visits to the factory." She teased with a knowing smirk. 

Before he could react, Felicity had hopped off the couch and absconded towards her kitchen with the nearly empty pizza box, getting well out of his reach by the time he made a move to retort. 

"What- no! I mean... okay, fine. Yes, I need cover. But, I really do want to make it something special." He fired back pleadingly, defending his choice. 

After disposing of the box and storing the left-over pizza in her fridge, Felicity meandered back to the couch with her knowing grin still firmly in place. As she approached, Oliver scooted himself into the far-right corner of the couch and opened his arm for her in a silent invitation. With ease, Felicity nestled into his side, curling her feet up next to her on the couch as she wrapped and arm around his stomach. "I know, it was just too easy." She assured, tilting her face into his chest and pressing a kiss to his shirt. "And you know I support you, completely." 

Oliver buried his nose in her hair, pressing his own lips to the crown of her head. "Thank you." He mumbled, tightening his arm around her shoulders. 

There was a moment of silence again as the pair quietly enjoyed the company of the other. However, Felicity's mind was far away as she absentmindedly played with the hem of his shirt. "Hmm not to change the subject here, or ruin the mood, but I really like Mr. Diggle. I don't know why you give him a hard time." She wondered. 

"Should I be offended that you can't seem to stop talking about Diggle tonight?" Oliver teased, but there was still an edge to his tone. "What brought this up?" He added after a pause. 

She shrugged. "You said he's ex-military?" 

"Mm-hmm." Oliver hummed tentatively. "But what does that have to do with anything?" 

"I don't know, I just- you could use help, Oliver. I probably sound like a broken record at this point, but you don't need to do this alone. He seems like an honorable man - one that might have a soft spot for you since he stuck around despite all of your attempts to get rid of him. If you won't take my help just yet, then at least give Diggle a chance. " Felicity explained, trying to keep her voice light. 

"Felicity..." He started. The reluctance in his voice was clear. 

Sitting up momentarily, Felicity lifted a hand and gently cupped his jaw. "It's okay. I know you'll let me in when you're ready. You can't take on all of this city's problems by yourself, there's just no way. Diggle is a trained fighter - he can help you out on the streets. Just... think about it, that's all I ask." Felicity said, brushing her thumb soothingly over his cheek. Only when the tension finally eased out of him did she nestle back into his side. 

"I don't know if I can trust him though." Oliver admitted after a minute. 

Felicity smiled to herself. That meant he was considering it. "Well, that's something you'll have to figure out then. But, my gut says he's a good man." She added as her hand on his side began to absentmindedly stroke back and forth. 

They were both quiet again after that, letting the sounds of the TV fill the empty space, but she could practically hear him thinking. She hadn't meant to push him about it, or burden him with the choice, but rather make him understand that he didn't need to be alone in his fight. 

At some point, though, Oliver dropped his hand down to her back, slowly and repeatedly stroking his fingers over her mark. Closing her eyes, Felicity couldn't help the big smile the gesture elicited as she nuzzled against his chest. As if of its own accord, her own hand slid over until it lay flat against his stomach, right over his own mark. 

"Thank you." He whispered. 

"Hmmm, for what?" She hummed out quietly, slowly rubbing her thumb back and forth over his mark while his own mimicked stroking of her mark sent a small shiver through her. 

"For everything, Felicity. For not giving up on me, for still seeing... me, after all this time." He explained with a shrug. 

She was about to respond, but while absentmindedly tracing her fingers down his mark, her fingers encountered a sudden patch of rough skin through his shirt that hadn't been there before, causing her words to catch in her throat. She tried to ignore it, but her body betrayed her as she stiffened in his embrace and her hand froze over the spot. 

"Shark bite." He supplied softly, his hand on her back still stroking her mark tenderly. 

Her eyes flew open and she sat up a little, using her hand on his stomach to balance herself, as she turned her troubled, curious gaze on him. "What?" She croaked, her own strained voice sounding foreign to her ears. 

"I was swimming off the coast of the island. My lucky day that a shark happened upon me." He added so casually, with a small laugh even, like it was no big deal. 

Her wide eyes searched his incredulously before she dropped her gaze to her hand as she traced over the scar, still struggling to process what he'd just told her. After a minute, she looked back up to him, concern for him back in her eyes. "Are there... others?" She asked tentatively. Her stomach lurched at the logical answer. 

A sad smile tugged at his lips as he took her hand in his, lacing their fingers together loosely. "Yes." He replied honestly, dropping his eyes down to their joined hands, watching his thumb gently stroke hers for a moment. 

She sucked in a sharp breath at his honest admission, her heart clenching painfully for him. As much as she wanted to know more, she knew she wasn't ready to see the magnitude of the horrors he had endured, and he wasn't ready to relive those memories yet. 

With a sad smile, she brushed her fingers over the roughened skin again, slowly tracing each dimpled bite mark. Then, holding his gaze, Felicity dropped down and pressed a lingering kiss on his hip, over the same spot she had touched moments ago. There was an immediate, sharp inhale from Oliver as the muscles under her lips reacted to the gesture. "Thank you." She said this time, sitting back up. "For being honest with me. I can't imagine how hard it must be to talk about it." 

Oliver only stared at her. The naked surprise in his gaze almost but not quite masking the sudden sheen to his eyes. Then, one moment his shaking fingers were ghosting over her cheek, and the next they fully were fully cupping her cheek as he lifted himself up and brushed his lips over hers in the barest of kisses. 

Felicity swore she died in that moment. It was far more chaste than the kiss they shared on New Year's all those years ago, but the emotion behind it is what made her breath catch in her lungs, her heart skip two beats, and her eyes flutter shut to savor the moment. It was a silent "thank you", a brief glimpse of the feelings he probably always had for her, and Felicity couldn't have asked for anything more from this moment. 

And when he had pulled away, he didn't go far. His breath still ghosted over her lips, his nose brushed hers tenderly, and his forehead pressed against her own while his hand remained steadfastly on her cheek. When his brows crinkled suddenly, the fine hairs tickled her skin with the movement. "It's not going to be easy for me, Felicity. I'm going to make mistakes." He whispered gruffly. 

With a slow breath she curled her fingers into his shirt. She tilted her chin this time, just enough to bring her lips into contact with his again. This was her silent promise to him now, something her next words would never be able to convey, but that didn't need to be put into words either. 

Like his, the kiss was quick, and then she was pulling back to look him in the eye. "I know. But, I know too that you won't hurt me." She confided. _I trust you. I'm not going anywhere._

Oliver's eyes, however, didn't reflect the same level of confidence Felicity possessed. 

Bringing her head down to rest on his chest, she curled into his side again, wrapping herself around him so he had no choice but to accept that she was here to stay. "I know this isn't easy for you, but, please, just shut up and enjoy this for a moment. Stop thinking." 

He actually surprised her by huffing out a small laugh at that, breaking the tension that had settled over them. "I feel like I was always the one telling you to stop thinking so hard." 

Biting her lip against the sudden smile threatening to tug at her lips, she shrugged nonchalantly. He wasn't wrong. Whereas she had over-thought just about everything when it came to their relationship before, things were different now. Losing him had been a shock to her system and forced her to reevaluate things, but now they had been given a second chance. She regretted how she handled things before his accident, so she wasn't about to waste the opportunity to do things right this time around. 

Breathing in and out deeply, she finally let out the smile she had been holding in. She was truly content in this moment - the first time she remembered feeling like this in, well... more than five years now. "My how times have changed."

* * *

"Felicity." 

She startled, jumping in her chair and her hand flying to her now rapidly beating heart. Spinning around in her chair, she pinned an annoyed look on her guest. "Oh my god, Oliver. You really need a bell or something. You can't keep sneaking up on me like that." Her words were supposed to be stern, but the smile on her lips ruined any chance she had of him taking her seriously. 

Unsurprisingly, her infectious grin had Oliver's own lips turning up into a soft, matching grin of his own. Honestly, Felicity was content to stare at the ridiculously attractive man in her doorway all day long, but eventually he cleared his throat and finally stepped into the office. "I- uh I brought you a gift." He said. 

That was when she noticed it, and only because she finally looked away from his captivating gaze. "Oh? She said softly, her eye dropping down to the... mangled object in his arm. It looked like anything but a gift. "You shouldn't have?" She added skeptically. 

Another unbidden smile tugged at his lips and he huffed out a soft laugh. Finally, he uncoiled his arm and held it out to her. 

Recognition flashed in her eyes and she almost violently ripped the poor object from his hand and cradled it in her arms. "Oliver! What did you do to it?! The poor thing! This was brand new!" Then, Felicity dropped her gaze to really examine the laptop and froze. Her lips parted in surprise. That wasn't his laptop, and it most certainly wasn't normal damage. "Wait... does this mean what I think it does?" She gawked, momentarily lifting her gaze to his before going back to examining the bullet hole-riddled laptop. 

"Felicity... it's not permanent." He stressed, giving her a stern look. "I just... you know computers aren't my thing, but I recovered this recently and I need to know what's on this. It could help me bring down another criminal on my father's list." 

Lifting her gaze, she pinned him with an unamused look before waving him off. Though, she couldn't hide the pleased smile that curled her lips as her gaze dropped down to the laptop once more. He was letting her in, and they both knew that she was going to barrel through the door now that it was open. "Uh huh, sure. Now, either shoo and let me take care of this or sit there quietly. I can't focus with all of _this_ distracting me." She said only semi-jokingly, gesturing one hand at his whole body. 

Oliver hummed. "Okay, well I guess I'll take the Big Belly Burger I brought as a secondary bribe with me. Looks like you don't..." 

She spun back to face him. "Oh no you don't, mister. You leave that right where it belongs, on my desk." She said with a bright smile when she met his mischievous eyes. "Now, sit. This won't take me more than ten minutes, then we can eat." 

He obliged silently, easily sliding into a chair next to her desk as he dropped the greasy sack onto its designated space. Quietly, as Felicity spun back around to plug the destroyed laptop into her desk top, Oliver inched his chair closer to her until he was looking over her shoulder, his eyes tracking her every movement while she worked. 

"Can you not. You're _really_ distracting." Felicity threw out over her shoulder after a minute of feeling his intense gaze on her, though her hands never stopped tapping away at her keyboard. 

His soft, rumbling laughter met her ears. "I'm sorry. It's just incredible to watch you work. It always has been." 

That finally made her turn her head. When she met his eyes, her heart stuttered. He was closer than she realized, and, unable to help herself, her eyes dropped down to his parted lips. It had only been a few days, but Felicity couldn't stop thinking about those stupid lips of his. A blush instantly tinged her cheeks as her thoughts raced away from her for a moment, which she promptly hid by turning back to her work. "Fine, you can look, but no touching. I'll never get anything done if that happens. I-um I'm not talking about _that_ kind of touching, of course. Oh wait, no, that makes it sound like that's permitted, which it's not, yet... oh god, make me stop." She rambled out, spinning on him again with wide eyes as her thoughts tumbled out of her. 

Gently, Oliver placed a hand on her shoulder and Felicity clammed up immediately. Her eyes flickered shut with a deep, calming inhale. "Oliver..." She said softly but warningly, though her body had other ideas as it leaned into his hand. 

"I know. I'll save the rest of the touching until after you're done." He acquiesced, grinning as he withdrew his hand back to his lap. "I'll be good, I promise." He added with a wink. 

Felicity's lips pursed into a pout as she turned back to her work one last time. "It no fair... so damn attractive... stupid soulmate..." She grumbled quietly as she went back to her furious typing. 

Not five minutes later, a set of blueprints finally popped up on the screen of her desktop. "Oliver." She called over her shoulder, reaching her hand back to tap on his thigh. "Does Warren Patel and a copy of the blueprints for the Exchange Building mean anything to you?" 

With a puzzled hum, Oliver wrapped his arm around Felicity's shoulder as he leaned in for a closer look at the screen. "This isn't what I expected to find." 

Felicity leaned back into her chair with a thoughtful hum. "Wait!" She gasped, spinning around in her chair to face him. "Isn't the Unidac auction being held there? If I remember correctly, Warren Patel is one of the buyers, but why does he need the blueprints of the building...?" 

Oliver's contemplative gaze studied the blueprints over her shoulder, his brow furrowing as the thoughts turned over in his mind. Suddenly, he stiffened. "Shit." He mumbled. 

"What? Do you know what's going on?" Felicity pressed, turning her worried gaze to his calculating one. 

"Maybe. A few of the potential buyers were on my list, but someone else got to them first. I've been trying to track down the guy who hired the gun, and I think I finally have my answer." He explained, sliding his eyes back to hers. "I just don't know who the gun is targeting..." He mumbled quietly as he drifted off again into analysis mode. 

"What- what are you going to do?" 

That pulled Oliver's attention back to Felicity again. He shook his head uncertainly, only managing to offer a half-hearted shrug. "This guy is a wildcard. I have to stop him before he hurts anyone else."

* * *

Nervously swiping her hands over the hem of her dress, Felicity meandered into the busy lobby of the Exchange Building on wobbly legs. The moment she entered the building, she knew this had been a mistake. But, Moira and Walter had already spotted her, so leaving was impossible now. 

"Felicity, I didn't know you were going to be here. I should have told Thea to come, she's missed you lately." Moira greeted, sounding more curious than anything as they embraced. 

Felicity offered a lame shrug, but her eyes were swiveling all around the room as she engaged the pair. "It was a last-minute thing. Oliver mentioned it to me this morning, that he was going to come out and show his face in support of QC's bid. But, he's still nervous in big crowds, so he asked me to be here. Speaking of, have you seen him?" 

Walter and Moira shared a knowing look before turning soft smiles on Felicity. "Actually, here he is now." Walter said, nodding to something behind Felicity's shoulder. 

A throat cleared behind her and then a familiar hand came to rest on her lower back. "Hi Mom, Walter. Felicity..." He started lowly, leaning in a little so she was the only one that could really hear the frustration in his tone. "May I please speak with you." 

It wasn't a question. She fixed him with a puzzled look but paused at the frantic look in his eye as he barely glanced at her, never letting his gaze linger in one place for too long. "Um sure. Excuse us, we'll be right back." Felicity apologized to Moira and Walter, barely finishing her sentence before Oliver dragged her off to a nearby corner. 

"What is wrong with you?" Felicity questioned, trying in vain to find his gaze. 

"Me?!" He hissed, finally looking at her. "I told you that there's a dangerous gunman out there who's probably going to do something here tonight, and what do you do? You come to that exact place! I didn't think to ask you not to come because I thought you understood the danger involved." 

Stepping back from him and out of the touch of his hand on her back, Felicity dug into her purse and pulled out her tablet. "I came because I was going to help you. Oliver, you know it's nearly impossible to tell when a sniper is going to strike. I found a way to hack into some satellites, and I was going to look for any suspicious movement nearby, but I couldn't very well communicate that information to you without being here." 

Oliver stared down at her. His lips folded in on themselves and he let out a frustrated huff. Dragging his hand over his face, he then reached out to touch her, paused, and then gently laid his hand on her shoulder. "Felicity. Thank you. Until we find a way for you to operate and communicate with me remotely, I just- you're in danger. Very immediate danger right now. I want you to help me, but not like this. Please, for me, I need you to-" 

"EVERY ONE GET DOWN!" 

Felicity froze, and Oliver immediately pulled her into his arms, shielding her body with his when glass rained down from a nearby window as the first shot was fired - right at Walter. He would have been dead if Detective Lance hadn't been right next to him. 

"Felicity," Oliver started calmly. "Find Diggle and get out of here. Please." He instructed into her ear. 

She was shaking, but she nodded. As Oliver stepped back to visually check on her, Diggle ran up to them. 

"Sir, we need to go!" Diggle cut-in. 

"I'll be okay." Oliver promised Felicity quietly. He gave her one last look, doing his best to reassure her, before turning to Diggle. "Get her out of here!" He commanded, gently prodding Felicity into Diggle's arms. As soon as Felicity was safely in his care, Oliver took off, disappearing into the panicked crowd. 

"Sir! Mr. Queen!" Diggle called after him, but he was lost in the crowd. "Shit. Come on, Felicity, we have to go." He instructed, just as calmly as Oliver had moments ago, as they crouched down and pushed through the panicked crowds, heading for the back exit. 

Felicity clung onto Diggle for dear life, her whole body shaking. She shouldn't have come, and clearly Oliver was right to be worried about her safety. 

Just as they reached the back exit, Diggle stumbled with a groan of pain, forcing Felicity to bear the brunt of his weight for a moment until he righted himself. But, they kept stumbling forward into the back alley. "Felicity, I don't know what's wrong with me..." He slurred, struggling to walk them forward in a straight line. 

"Diggle?" She panicked, her hands desperately clutching his suit coat as she struggled to guide them towards her car which was parked not 100 feet away. "Diggle, what's wrong?" 

"Bullet." Was all he choked out before tumbling sideways, out of Felicity's grasp, landing on the ground with a groan. 

"Oh my god, Diggle!" She gasped. Quickly, she knelt down by his side to find the source of the problem. It didn't take long because the red of a bullet wound was quickly blooming on his right arm. "Frack, frack, frack!" She breathed as she dropped her purse onto the ground next to her, digging around with trembling fingers until she retrieved her phone. It took a few tries, the adrenaline running through her making it impossible to type for once, but eventually she dialed Oliver. 

"Come on, come on..." She begged into the phone. Six rings, and no answer. She hung up with a frustrated moan of sorts and immediately dialed him again. He just had to pick up. "Diggle, you're going to be okay. Just stay awake. Please don't die on me..." She pleaded, earning a pained groan in response from Diggle. 

_"Felicity?"_ Oliver panted into the phone. _"Felicity? Please tell me you're okay?"_ He tried again when she didn't respond immediately. 

"Oh my god, thank you. Thank you." She praised quietly. "Oliver, it's Diggle. He- he..." She stuttered, the words suddenly catching in her throat. "He's shot." She finally squeaked out. "We're in a back alley. He needs help, I- I don't know what to do. Please..." 

_"Shit."_

There was a long pause from him after that, only panting coming from Oliver's end. _"I'm on my way. DO NOT touch the wound."_ And then, the line went dead. 

After that, Felicity zone out, her mind shutting down on itself for the first time in her life. What felt like hours was probably only mere seconds until Oliver's gloved hand touched her shoulder. 

"Felicity, did you drive here?" He growled. But, it wasn't angry, just urgent. 

"W-What?" She said shakily, turning slowly to find his piercing, alert blue eyes watching her from under his hood. 

"Did you drive? We have to go, quickly." Oliver reiterated, carefully emphasizing each word as he moved over to Diggle's side, slinging the injured arm around his shoulder. "Grab his other arm." He asked. 

With a slow nod, Felicity scrambled to her feet and stepped under his other arm as Oliver hoisted him up, leaning most of Diggle's weight on himself. "My car is just over there." She said quietly, nodding straight ahead. 

"Come on. We need to get him back to my space. His life depends on it." Oliver said brusquely as they took off for Felicity's car. 

As soon as they crammed Diggle into the back seat, Oliver jumped in the driver's seat, barely waiting for Felicity to buckle up before he sped off. 

Time was still warped for Felicity. Every groan from Diggle made her stomach lurch and time slow down even more. 

"He'll be okay. We just have to hurry." Oliver comforted, just as they were pulling up to the steel factory. 

So, without wasting time, Oliver hauled Diggle out of the car on his own this time, and hurried him inside and down the stairs, leaving Felicity to follow on their heels. Nervously, she stood off to the side as Oliver got Diggle onto one of the metal tables and moved over to his trunk. Seconds later, Oliver was shoving something into Diggle's mouth, along with some water, forcing the struggling man to swallow whatever Oliver had given him. 

Almost instantly, Diggle's breathing evened out and the slight thrashing from pain quelled. 

"What did you give him?" Felicity asked shakily, watching Oliver as he put the mysterious object back in his trunk along with his bow. 

"Old Chinese herbs. Those bullets... they were laced with Curare – a deadly poison." He explained as he pulled his hood down. His worried gaze landed on her briefly before sliding over to Diggle's prone form. "That's why I didn't want you there tonight. The gunman, Deadshot, is ruthless. He never misses, and he's only looking out for himself. That's why I asked Detective Lance for the SCPD's help. I couldn't protect everyone on my own against someone with his skill. There was no way I could guarantee your safety, Felicity, what if..." He trailed off, his voice strained. 

Tentatively, Felicity stepped up to him and wrapped her hand around his forearm. Sliding her other hand into his, she gave it a comforting squeeze. "I'm sorry. I- I wanted to help, but I had no idea... And now, Diggle's hurt because of me." 

To her surprise, Oliver returned the squeeze. "He'll be okay. It might take him a while to wake up, but we got him out in time. Remind me to thank him when he wakes up." He suggested off-handedly. 

Finally, he looked down to her like he was finally seeing her again. Worry creased his brow as his eyes inspected every inch of her. "Are _you_ okay?" He asked softly, lifting a hand to delicately cup her cheek. 

Her eyes fluttered shut, and she leaned into his hand, nodding against his palm. "A little shaken, but physically fine." She explained, giving his hand another comforting squeeze with her still slightly trembling fingers. The adrenaline hadn't quite worn off yet. 

"You know I do want your help, right?" Oliver affirmed after a quiet moment passed between them. "That's not what this is about." 

Cracking her eyes open again, she matched his gaze, but with frustration in her eyes. "I know, but you can't have it both ways. You either let me in all the way and we figure out a better way to do this – together -, or not at all." 

Without hesitation, a hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "So, then we find another way." 

A slow smile curled Felicity's lips as she watched him. There wasn't a shred of hesitance in his eyes, only assurance. 

The sound of a more conscious groan next to them quickly pulled their attention, breaking the moment. Oliver's arm slipped out of Felicity's grip as he stepped forward and she stepped back to give them some space. 

Diggle's eyes cracked open. "The hell...?" He groaned, rolling into a sitting position, though he still seemed a little disoriented as he swung his gaze around the room. A few more blinks, though, and Diggle's awareness returned as his features went surprisingly blank. "Of course you're him." Diggle observed, staring right at Oliver. 

Oliver looked unaffected by Diggle's cool observance of him. "How do you feel?" 

Diggle went to shrug but winced instead. 

"You got nicked by a bullet laced with Curare - a deadly poison. I gave you something to counteract it, but there'll be lingering effects for a few more hours. It'll be like a nasty hangover." Oliver explained. Then he fell quiet, contemplating his next words. "Thank you - for protecting Felicity." He said, glancing back to Felicity with a smile. Where it had been clinical before, now his tone was honest. 

That turned Diggle's gaze to her as well. "Are you okay?" He asked, quickly surveying her for any obvious signs of injury. 

"I'm fine, really. A little shocked by the whole thing. I've also learned it's very difficult to support someone twice your size when they've been drugged." She laughed nervously, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear with her free hand. 

Diggle finally cracked a smile, but it was short lived, diminishing as soon as his gaze flashed back up to Oliver. "What's your goal here, man?" 

Oliver tilted his head, quirking an eyebrow at Diggle and silently urging him to continue. 

"Why bring me here?" Diggle started, finally letting his eyes wander around the sparse set up. "Why risk your identity by revealing yourself to me?" 

"The hospitals wouldn't have been able to save you." He said, answering the most obvious question first. "I- we could use your help, Diggle." 

Diggle scoffed, disbelief in his eyes and written all over his face. "You're crazy. This whole thing is crazy. Going out and playing Robin Hood. For what? What do you gain from this crusade?" 

"This city is dying and no one gives a damn." Oliver countered immediately. "My father asked me to help fix what he left broken. I tried doing it alone, but there's too much poison in this city. I thought, since you're a man of honor, that you might be interested in helping save this city too." 

Diggle paused, observing Oliver quietly for a moment. Then, he stood, albeit on slightly weary legs, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, man. I just- I can't be a part of this fool's crusade. You're going to get yourself killed, and I don't want to be beside you when that happens." He said gravely as he brushed past Oliver on his way to the door. 

"Oliver." Felicity urged quietly. 

But, Oliver remained rooted to his place, letting Diggle walk away. Only when the door clicked shut again did Oliver's shoulders fall, a long sigh leaving his lips. 

Tentatively, Felicity stepped forward again. Though he probably knew she was approaching, she reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder blade as a signal. As she stepped around to face him, her hand followed her, sliding down his arm to curl around his forearm. "That, uh- went well." She said, a tentative laugh accompanying her attempt at a joke. 

Oliver turned his tired, skeptical eyes to Felicity. 

"Yeah, right. Not good at all." She corrected with a grimace. "Give him some time. All of this," She said, swiveling her gaze around the hideout briefly, "is a lot to take in, especially for someone as straight-laced as Diggle. Change is going to be hard for him." 

Watching her for a minute, Oliver sighed. "Was that the wrong decision?" He eventually asked. 

Felicity squeezed his arm at the rare glint of vulnerability in his eyes. "No. Whether or not he decides to help you, I don't think he'll betray your secret." She said with certainty. And she did believe it. She recognized the shock in Diggle's reaction because she felt it herself not just a week ago when she figured it out. 

Finally, Oliver nodded. "Okay." He acquiesced, leaning forward to drop a kiss on her forehead. "Let me change, and then we'll get you home." He said as he slipped away to grab his clothes. 

"Hmm about that! We should probably go to the manor. I think your mom has been trying to contact you." Felicity suggested, motioning to his phone that listed several missed calls. 

Oliver paused, turning a playfully quirked eyebrow on her. 

Then she faltered too, realizing how that sounded. "Oh, uh, unless you weren't planning on staying the night... with me. That was really presumptuous, wasn't it?" She cringed. 

A smile finally tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I was going to stay, Felicity." He assured. "I'll be back in a minute, then we'll head out." 

And with that, they were pulling into the driveway of the Queen Manor about 30 minutes later. On the way, the exhaustion finally kicked in after the adrenaline finally wore off, so Oliver was practically supporting her with an arm around her waist as they headed for the door. But, mere moments after Felicity and Oliver trudged through the door they were bombarded by his family, forcing the pair into alertness again. 

"Oh, Oliver, thank goodness." Moira breathed as she swept into the entryway followed by Walter and Raisa. "We didn't hear from you. Are you both okay?" She asked as she stepped up to them, placing her hands on Oliver's shoulders and inspecting him before sliding her gaze over to Felicity for the same treatment. 

He gave her a small smile. "I'm fine, Mom. And Felicity is fine too. But, Diggle got hurt protecting Felicity, so we made sure he was okay before coming home. Are you both all right?" 

"We're completely unharmed, fortunately. Is Mr. Diggle okay?" Walter queried, wrapping a reassuring arm around Moira who still watched both of them with worry. 

Felicity jumped in this time, but not before glancing quickly at Oliver. "He'll be fine. It was a minor graze, but better safe than sorry." 

"Oh my god, Ollie, Felicity!" Thea's voice suddenly broke through from the stairs as she came barreling down, crashing into Felicity's arm in an instant. "I was so worried." 

Felicity curled her arms around Thea, reciprocating the bone-crushing hug. "Thea, we're fine." She cooed into the young girl's ear. 

When Thea finally pulled back, she looked between Oliver and Felicity with a frown on her face. 

"What, no worried hug for me?" Oliver teased, opening his arms to Thea. 

She only eyed him. "No, you're a jerk – you're both jerks. Don't scare me like that." She grumbled, throwing a half-hearted glare at them both. 

Clearing her throat, Moira eyed Thea with disapproval. "Thea, shouldn't you be in bed?" 

Thea's frown turned more serious. "I'm sorry I worried about them after you told me you didn't know if they were okay or not." She threw back with a nonchalant shrug. 

Felicity couldn't help but smile. Thea had been going through a rebellious stage for a while now, and even though she sounded annoyed with her mother, there was really no malice there. 

"Your mother's right, dear." Walter interrupted gently, "they're okay but, I'm sure they would both like to sleep after all of that. You can check on them in the morning." 

Thea's pout deepened with a frustrated huff. "Fine." She grumbled. Then, she threw herself into Oliver's chest. "I'm glad you're okay too, dummy." She mumbled, barely giving Oliver time to react before throwing her arms around Felicity again. "Night." 

"Night, Speedy." Oliver called after her as she ascended the steps under their mother's watchful eye. 

"Actually, that sounds like a good idea for us all, dear." Walter suggested, glancing down at Moira. "We've all had a crazy day." 

Moira hummed in agreement. Stepping forward, she pressed a quick kiss to Oliver's cheek. Turning, she repeated the gesture to Felicity with an added pat to the cheek. "Have a good night. And, we're glad you're both home safe." She said in parting before her and Walter headed for their suite in the other wing of the house. 

Reaching down, Oliver laced his fingers through Felicity's. Stepping towards the stairs, he gave a tug when she didn't budge at first. Squeezing his fingers in response, she followed after him along the familiar path to his room. "I can't believe your mom isn't scandalized that I'm staying here tonight... with you." 

Oliver let out a rumbling chuckle. "I doubt she really thought about it. And, you told me she knows about us, right?" He asked, glancing down at her with a quirked brow. 

"Yeah, but I don't know if she knows what we're doing now. I could be up here corrupting her innocent boy for all she knows. Uh, again, not that we're doing _that_." She cringed as they stepped into his room. 

He shook his head with more soft laughter. "It's fine, Felicity. Plus, you know my mom has always loved you. I don't think you 'corrupting her innocent boy' will change that." He teased with a squeeze of his fingers before slipping his hand from hers. "Hang tight." 

She nodded as Oliver moved over to his dresser. Rifling around for a moment, he came back with a pile of clothes that he extended towards her. "As beautiful as you are in this dress, I don't think you'll want to sleep in it." He offered, letting his eyes sweep over her figure with a smile. 

Her hands were slow to take the clothes from him. "Uh-huh." She breathed, nodding dumbly as she clutched the clothes to her chest. "I'll just, um, be right back." She squeaked before escaping to the bathroom. 

"There's a spare toothbrush in the right-hand drawer, and my toothpaste is in the left one." He called after her retreating form, a hint of amusement still lingering in his voice. 

It took her a few minutes to clean herself up, but once she was changed into a familiar pair of sweat pants and one of Oliver's white shirts, Felicity re-emerged to find Oliver already settled into his bed and waiting for her expectantly. Crawling in next to him, Felicity settled in on her side facing him. 

"Are you okay?" He asked into the quiet around them, reaching up to brush her hair out of her eyes. 

She nodded, shuffling forward a little more until she was curled against his chest. "Just tired." She mumbled sleepily because now that she was relaxed, the exhaustion finally hit her. 

Wrapping his arm securely around her waist, Oliver pressed a kiss into her hair. "Get some sleep." He whispered into her hair, earning a weak nod. 

"Night, Ol'ver." She said, and within minutes her breathing slowed into a familiar rhythmic cadence.

* * *

Despite Felicity having fallen asleep already, Oliver found himself awake long after that with Felicity still comfortably bundled in his arms. A lot was on his mind after the events of tonight, so he had spent the last hour or so contemplating his decision to reveal himself to Diggle. So, that was why he was alert the moment something changed with her. 

Just like the first night he saw it, it started with the soft whimpers. Then, she fidgeted in his arms, eventually flopping out of his hold as she rolled onto her other side. 

"Oliver..." She whimpered, her hands clutching at the sheets desperately. "Oliver no, please... not him." She begged, a stray tear sliding down her cheek and blending with the sheen of sweat that had suddenly formed all over her body. 

His heart stuttered in panic. Sitting up quickly, he gently laid a hand on her shoulder. "Felicity, it's me. I'm right here." He cooed, gently shaking her. 

It didn't work. She tossed over again, his hand falling from her shoulder. "Oliver!" She whimpered, pain curling the noise into a strangled cry suddenly. 

He sucked in a breath, his chest tightening painfully. The noise resonating throughout him. And, the idea that she was in so much pain over him didn't help. Collecting himself, he reached out to cup her cheeks. "Felicity, please. Wake up. It's not real." He urged this time, gently stroking his thumbs over her tear-stained cheeks. 

Finally, her watery eyes blinked open, but they still seemed miles away. "No, no you're not here." She shook her head wildly, the pain of the nightmare still haunting her eyes. 

"No, no. It's me. The real me." Oliver urged. "I'm okay. I'm right here, unharmed." 

Slowly, her focus seemed to come back to the present as her shaky fingers brushed one of his forearms. "Oliver?" Her voice was so small, so unsure. 

"Yeah... yeah, I'm here." He cooed before pulling her into his arms. 

Felicity responded instantly, wrapping her arms tightly around him, curling her fingers into his shirt. They stayed like that, his hand rubbing up and down her back over her mark, until her shaking quelling and her breathing returned to normal. 

Oliver waited a few more minutes before speaking gently. "What happened?" 

"You-" She forced out, her voice still wavering. "You were- you were tied up. There was a masked man. And you..." She tried, but her already weak voice failed her before she could finish. 

He tightened his arms around her. "It's okay-" 

"You were stabbed." She continued, despite what she knew he was going to say. Leaning back, her watery eyes glanced up to him briefly before falling back to his stomach. "Here." She croaked out, pointing at a spot just under his ribs. 

Oliver stilled. "What...?" 

Felicity finally looked up at him, confusion slowly seeping into her features. "In my dream. You were tort- stabbed here. It felt so real... like a searing pain. I thought you were going to die." She explained, gesturing to the same place again with fresh tears in her eyes. 

He winced. He never wanted to burden her with that pain, but their connection seems to have had other ideas. Quickly cupping her face, he pressed a few chaste, desperate kisses against her salty lips. "Hey, hey." He breathed between kisses. "It's okay. I'm here. I'm okay now." He repeated, peppering her lips with a few more kisses before pulling her close again. 

With a shaky breath, Felicity tightened her hands desperately around the fabric of his shirt again. "I can't lose you again..." She choked out against his chest. 

Closing his eyes tightly, Oliver squeezed her close, rubbing his hand comfortingly up and down her back. "You won't. I'm not going anywhere, Felicity."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo?? Bet you weren't expecting the kisses! Hehehehe. They're still very reserved as they try to figure this out together, but the romantic tension is clearly building ;)
> 
> I'd love to hear your thoughts! Anything and everything, I want to hear it. I hope the next chapter won't take as long, which it shouldn't because I've already got it planned out haha, so I look forward to getting that to you soon.


	21. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the warm welcome back!! I can't tell you how nervous I was, mostly about the continuity, but I'm glad it was so well-received.
> 
> Lots happens, so happy reading :)

Shifting in her seat at the bar, Felicity tugged at the hem of her shorter than usual black dress. It was a little out of her comfort zone: in addition to the short hemline, the back was entirely open save one thin black strap down the center of her back and two cross straps that connected to the front of the dress - one at her waist and the other across her shoulder blades. The front was more conservative to a degree with a V-neck just deep enough to be tantalizing but not scandalous and material that dipped in at her sides where the lower strap connected, leaving the skin there exposed.

That wasn't the only thing out of her comfort zone. She was never one for parties, even with Tommy Merlyn and Ollie Queen as best friends. But, she would do anything for those aforementioned idiots, even if it meant enduring a raging welcome home party at a club just to support her step-brother and her soulmate. 

Speaking of, her eyes swept around the room as she took a casual sip from her drink. She lost Oliver a while back when he begrudgingly went off with Tommy for some "bro time". Which is how she found herself relaxing by the bar, avoiding all the craziness of the dancefloor. Despite her avoidance of most of the party, if you asked her, she was still having a pretty good time. 

"Felicity! There you are!" Thea called out over the noise as she approached. "Holy shit, girl. You look hot." She complemented, giving Felicity a long once-over with wide eyes. "Has my brother seen you?" 

Felicity bit back a grin. Though the dress wasn't entirely comfortable, she did enjoy how sexy it made her feel. "He has." 

"Well then, where the hell is he?! Why isn't he all over you?" Thea asked, looking scandalized as she squeezed in next to Felicity on an open chair and ordered a seltzer. 

Rolling her eyes, Felicity responded with a shrug. "He's off with Tommy somewhere." 

"Actually, no he isn't. Well, not anymore." Tommy said as he stepped up next to the pair. "I know I said this when you got here but thank you so much for convincing him to come, Felicity. It's good to see him again." 

Felicity waved her hand, brushing off the compliment, but before she could respond Thea jumped in again. 

"Merlyn, where is he then? Dear Felicity over here is looking extra scandalous tonight, and she doesn't even see the looks she's getting. If I were her soulmate, I wouldn't leave her side. So, what have you done with my dear brother?" She pressed not-so-innocently with a curious look. 

Blinking, Felicity looked around, but failed to see what Thea seemed to be claiming. "Wait, what? What looks?" 

Tommy and Thea looked at each other and shared an eye roll. "Felicity, if you wouldn't kill me, I would have insisted you go change when I saw you." Tommy laughed. "But, back to dear Ollie, I left him over there chatting with some people we knew from Starling Prep to come check on you ladies." 

Turning her gaze over to the direction he indicated, her eyes instantly met Oliver's. There was something different in his gaze tonight, but the smile he usual reserved for her was still there. She started to smile back too, but the smile never really formed because she noticed his present company. He was surrounded by three gorgeous women, all of them clearly vying for his attention. 

"Is he treating you well?" 

Forcing her eyes away, Felicity met Tommy's genuine eyes. "What?" 

"Ollie. Is he treating you right? If he isn't-" Tommy repeated. 

At that, a small smile finally tugged at her lips. "Yes, Tommy. We're taking things slow, but things are good." She assured with a gentle hand on his arm before her gaze found its way back over to Oliver. 

"She's being modest, Tommy. You should see them. It's disgusting. The other day-" Thea started to gush, but Felicity tuned them out again. 

The scene before her hadn't changed. Well, maybe the girls had scooted a little closer to him, but they were still there trying to gain his attention. Watching it unfold brought a frown to her lips and a familiar crinkle to her brows. Based on his body language, he was clearly uncomfortable, trying to shy away from their touches, but it didn't make it any easier to watch them fawn over her soulmate in front of her. Though, it wasn't really their fault, they hadn't necessarily gone public with the nature of their- 

"Felicity? What's going on with you? Are you okay?" Thea cut in. 

Twisting uncomfortably in her seat at being caught, Felicity briefly brought her attention back to Tommy and Thea's curious looks. "Oh, uh yeah I'm fine. What were you saying?" 

But, her attention shifted back over to Oliver. At that moment, he looked over at her, his eyes pleading with her silently. 

"Go get him." Tommy encouraged, looking between Felicity and Oliver with a knowing eye. 

That brought her sheepish gaze back to her friends. "Sorry, guys. I promise I'm listening..." 

"No, seriously. Go to him. He looks miserable, Felicity, and you look like you're about to murder them." Thea added with a laugh, watching the girls hawking her brother with disgust. "Plus, those women look painfully desperate and have nothing on how hot you look tonight." She said with a wink. 

Looking back to Oliver one last time, the desperation in his gaze finally tipped her over the edge. Sliding off the stool, she quickly finished off her drink and smoothed out her skirt. "Sorry guys." She offered sheepishly. With a deep breath she squared her shoulders and started towards Oliver. 

"Yes! Get him, girl!" Thea cheered. 

But Felicity barely heard it. One of the girls surrounding him had placed a hand on his chest, fiddling with his coat, in what the girl probably assumed was a flirting gesture, and Felicity saw red. She pushed through the crowds around her with a little more enthusiasm, reaching him in a matter of seconds. 

"Hi babe-" 

Inserting herself into the little circle around him, and without another thought, she crashed her lips against his. 

Oliver stilled. 

She moved her lips over his again and instantly Oliver's arms wrapped around her, one tightly looping around her waist and the other hand landing between her shoulder blades to press her close. Smoothly, Felicity wrapped one arm around his neck, the other hand coming up to cup his jaw. Distracted by the way his perfect lips responded to the movements of her own, she didn't even notice they were moving until her back pressed into something more solid, allowing Oliver to erase any semblance of the space remaining between them. 

A gasp pulled Felicity's lips open and Oliver attacked, tentatively sliding his tongue out to meet hers as they met each other with desperate, open-mouthed kisses. Oliver's hand slid around to her bare waist, his fingers slowly pressing into the skin there. Felicity whimpered into the kiss, scratching her nails through his scruff and sliding her fingers into his short locks. The experience was euphoric. Heightened by their connection, the searing kisses bordered on addicting, sending waves of tingling pleasure and satisfaction through her body. She vaguely wondered why they hadn't done this before. 

Turning her head, they broke briefly before Oliver pressed his lips to hers again, this time in a single drawn out kiss. "Well, hi." He panted through his grin when he pulled away, pressing his forehead into hers. 

Blinking her hazy eyes open, Felicity met his dark gaze. "Hi." She responded, but her voice sounded completely different to her ears. Slowly, her eyes widened when she felt Oliver's thumbs stroking the bare skin of her sides, bringing her back to reality. "Oh my god. I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me." 

There was a hint of amusement in his eyes as he shook his head, but the desire there still dominated. "Don't apologize. That was incredible." He said lowly, "I like jealous you." He teased, pressing forward and capturing her lower lip between his again. 

"I- what? I was not jealous!" She gasped when he pulled away again, but the blush tinging her cheeks gave her away. 

Ducking his head, Oliver's rumbling laughter was right in her ear before he pressed another kiss along her jawline. "I should tell you..." He began, pressing another kiss under her jaw this time, "I've been jealous all night too. All these men, and even some women, can't keep their eyes off you." He growled, nipping at her neck. 

"Oh?" She squeaked, tilting her neck to the side for him. A quiet moan slipped from her lips when his teeth grazed her skin. So much for taking things slow. 

"Mmhmm." He hummed against her skin, leaving one soft kiss on her pulse point before rising back up to her lips. "You look amazing tonight. And I'm so lucky to have such a beautiful woman as my soulmate." 

One kiss. Another. A third that she pressed more desperately into. She's the one that's lucky. And, as she loses herself this moment, one she thought was lost with all of her other dreams not so long ago, she promises herself to prove that to him. Their mouth's shift for a fourth, but they never finished what they started. 

"Sir!" 

Oliver is immediately on edge. His once pliant muscles tensed for action at the sound of Diggle's panicked call. They parted, but Oliver didn't disengage completely yet as he faced Diggle. 

"It's Thea, Mr. Queen, she-" 

"What? What happened to my sister?" Oliver was oddly calm, speaking only loud enough to be heard over the noise of the club. But, that's exactly what made him so dangerous right now. 

For Felicity, her heart stuttered in her chest. She had just seen the girl not minutes ago and everything appeared fine. 

"She's outside. The police-" 

Oliver didn't wait for Diggle to finish. The next thing Felicity knew, Oliver was tugging her along with him by her hand now enclosed in his. As they made for the door, Oliver exerted little effort in their journey. Most of the crowd naturally parted for them, but anyone still in their path earned a dangerous glare and a shove from Oliver as they cut through the building. 

The sight that greeted them on the outside was nearly chaos. Thea was being loaded onto the gurney and into the ambulance. A distressed Tommy nervously glanced everywhere as he spoke to Detective Lance. A sizeable number of people crowded around the scene trying to get a glimpse of something or overhear the perfect tidbit of gossip. 

"Tommy, what the hell happened to my sister?" Oliver ground out, interrupting Captain Lance's questioning as they approached the scene. 

"Ollie, Felicity, thank goodness. I'm so sorry." Tommy breathed, looking simultaneously relieved and on-edge as he fiddled with his fingers. "I- I wish I could tell you more, but I don't know what happened to her. As I was telling Quentin, everything was okay one minute - as you know Felicity-" Tommy looked at her for confirmation, "the next she was stumbling out of the club. I followed after her, but she was already in the middle of the street when the car came out of nowhere. Some kid in a red hoodie jumped out and knocked her out of the way, but he ran off before I could thank him." 

Nervously, Felicity glanced up to Oliver. He was still tense, gripping her hand desperately in his, but now his concerned gaze was firmly fixed on his sister in the back of the ambulance. "Is Thea okay, then?" She asked, taking over the conversation now. 

"They think she has a concussion that knocked her out on impact, but they're also taking her to the hospital to see what caused the incident in the first place." Lance offered between scribbling some more notes down on his pad. 

Felicity's stomach sank. Thea was a good kid - she made sure of that once she came back from Boston-, and she knew for fact Thea hadn't had a drop of alcohol tonight. So, whatever caused such a drastic change in her behavior, it wasn't good. Biting her lip, she turned into Oliver and placed a hand on his cheek. 

Without hesitation, he looked down at her. He was scared, angry, and confused. "Go with her. She needs you." 

"Felicity..." 

"I'll be right behind you with Diggle and Tommy." She was just as apprehensive about parting ways, even temporarily, with the state he's in, but she couldn't go with him and there was no way she was going to let Thea make that ride alone, passed out or not. 

Some of the worry slipped from Oliver's face, but he still glanced up at Diggle and Tommy for assurance. 

"Don't worry man, we'll be there as soon as we can." Tommy confirmed, placing a hand on Felicity's shoulder. 

Felicity didn't need to look over her shoulder to know that Diggle also nodded his assent because when Oliver's gaze returned to hers it was less feral and doubtful. Then, he was pressing his lips to hers in a quick kiss. And with one last squeeze of her hand, Oliver bolted for the ambulance, barely getting situated before it zoomed off. 

Making his presence more apparent, Diggle stepped up next to Felicity. "Captain Lance, is there anything else we can help you with?" 

"No, no." He said, waving them off. "We've got everything we need as far as statements go." 

"Let's get going." Diggle urged. "We'll have to walk since we can't get the car called around, but the town car is parked close by." He explained leading the way. Felicity and Tommy followed close behind with Tommy comfortingly tucking her under his arm at some point in their short trek. 

After reaching the town car, Diggle got them to Starling General in what seemed like seconds and they made it up to Thea's private room in even less time. Surprisingly, Oliver was the only one present by a sleeping Thea's side when the trio entered. Hunched over in a chair next to her bed, he looked more like the one who had almost been run over. 

"Oh Oliver." Felicity breathed as she strode up to him. As soon as she was near, his arms snaked around her waist, tugging her as close as possible despite the awkward angle. His head came to rest against her stomach, his hot breath warming the skin beneath her dress as he calmed his breathing to match her own. They were in their own world for a moment as Felicity brushed her fingers through his disheveled hair. 

"Thank you, Diggle, for taking care of them." Oliver finally greeted when he pulled away moments later. 

Turning her own attention to Diggle and Tommy, who were stationed on the other side of the bed, she immediately blushed. Whereas Tommy was decidedly avoiding looking in their direction, Diggle watched them curiously, clearly observing their exchange. Honestly, she had completely forgotten about them the moment she saw Oliver's distress, which is really what had her blushing. 

Crossing his large arms over his chest, Diggle nodded. "Of course. Is Thea all right?" 

At the question, Oliver immediately tensed under the hand Felicity left lingering on his shoulder for support. "It was drugs. She had drugs in her system. How could this happen?" He trailed off, his troubled gaze sliding back to Thea's peacefully sleeping form. 

Felicity gasped and Tommy looked momentarily stunned before he came to life again with indignation. "There's no way! She knows better. Never touched the stuff while you were gone. This has to be a mistake." 

Glancing over at Tommy who looked to her for support, Felicity squeezed Oliver's shoulder. "I know it's hard to believe, but Tommy's right. If it really is drugs, then it wasn't of her own choice. She's a smart girl." She cooed, stroking her thumb over the taught muscle under it, magically hoping that insignificant gesture would ease the swirling emotions she felt from him in her gut. 

For a moment, she thought it worked when he tipped his head up to peer at her. Gone was the anguish for his sister, but something more troublesome had taken its place. They hadn't been doing this long, but she recognized the moment the mask slipped over his eyes and he became another person. If someone had done this on purpose, then there was justice to be served. 

The spiral didn't last long, though. 

"Thea! Oh, my darling Thea!" Moira cried as she swept into the room with Walter hot on her heels, somehow still looking fabulous despite likely having been asleep mere minutes before. "Oliver, what happened?" She urged, but there was a hardness to her voice – skepticism of the circumstances, no doubt. 

Felicity went to step away, but Oliver's hand shot out and caught her falling wrist in his gentle embrace. She shook her head at his pleading gaze. "I'll be right outside. We're not going anywhere until she's conscious and we know for sure she's okay, so just come find me when you're done." She assured with a soft smile, making a point to never remove her eyes from his. 

"Okay, thank you." Oliver finally relented, though he still looked anxious about his mother's presence. But, this was a family matter, and Oliver really needed to get better about talking with his own mother again. 

Slipping her wrist from his grasp, she paused to squeeze his hand before letting it fall away as she moved to exit the room behind Tommy and Diggle's already retreating form. But, a hand on her shoulder stopped her, pulling her gaze to Moira's concerned eyes. 

"Thank you, Felicity." Was all she said. Moira had never been one to shell out gushing compliments or praise, but in all Felicity's years of knowing her, the layers of meaning behind those two words spoke volumes to her. 

"Of course." She said with a half shrug. "You guys are my family." She thought, for a moment as she slipped out of the room, that those words brought tears to Moira's eyes, but it had to be the crappy hospital lighting playing tricks on her. 

Now outside of the room, Felicity turned and made her way down to the small waiting area at the end of the hallway where Tommy and Diggle waited in slightly awkward silence. 

"So, what do we do now?" Tommy perked up when she approached. 

"I told Oliver I'd stay here until she wakes up. Since that might be a while, I'm going to go get some coffee. You know how I get without it." Felicity joked gently with a shrug. 

"Would you mind some company?" Diggle offered. 

"Sure." She agreed with a knowing smile. "We'll be right back Tommy." She assured as the pair took off. 

Neither spoke until they were truly alone in the desolate cafeteria where no curious ears would over-hear something they had no business knowing. It took Diggle until after they had the requisite coffee in hand to finally ask the burning question that lingered between them. "Why did he do it?" 

Glancing at him, Felicity motioned to a set of armchairs in an isolated corner. "He trusts you." She commented as she took a seat. 

Diggle's brows scrunched together thoughtfully as he took a seat in the chair opposite her. He took a long sip of his coffee before speaking again. "Why do you help him? I know who you are to him, so why do you let him do this?" 

Felicity had to laugh at that. "First, it's funny that you think our status means I have any control over whether he does this or not." She snorted out over the rim of her own Styrofoam cup. The humor didn't linger though. "This is his mission. He doesn't believe there's a better way to save the city from the filth corrupting it – and, maybe he's right. But, maybe he's wrong. That doesn't matter, though. Don't get me wrong, I had my doubts, but I believe in him – I have for a long time - and I know he's doing this for the right reasons. What really matters is that he's surrounded by the right people. We can't tell him not to do this, but we _can_ guide him in the right direction, make sure he's safe, ease the burden even just a little bit, and do some real good for this city while we're at it. _That_ is really what he needs – friends, partners... _mentors_." She explained, gesturing at him with her final words. 

Diggle watched her thoughtfully. "How long have you two known each other?" 

That tugged a smile to Felicity's lips. "All my life." She responded without a thought but paused as the words processed and let out a huff of laughter. "Okay, so technically we met when we were ten, but it feels like he's always been part of my life. I hate to think about a time before I knew him." 

And finally, Diggle's lips quirked too. "You genuinely trust and believe in him." It wasn't a question, but almost a revelation. 

"Of course. Even though we still have five years of missing time to catch up on, that doesn't change what's in here." She said, gesturing to her heart. "And that, _that_ I know better than anyone." 

Diggle contemplated her words for a quite minute, occasionally sipping his coffee, glancing out of the window to the deserted parking lot, or tapping his fingers thoughtfully against the armrest. When Diggle was finally ready to speak again, though, a text buzzed into her phone. 

Felicity threw him a quick but apologetic glance before her attention was immediately diverted. "Tommy just texted me. Thea's up." She relayed, already rising from her seat and ready to make a beeline for Thea's room. Realizing that they never really finished their conversation though, she halted, turning to face Diggle once more as he too rose from his seat. "You don't need to decide now, but I hope I was able to help you understand where he's coming from, even just a little." 

A slight smile curled the edges of Diggle's lips – something Felicity was beginning to realize was the closest thing to a full smile she was going to get from him, for now. "Thank you, Felicity." He said with a nod. "Oliver is very lucky to have you." 

Felicity shrugged, glancing away as a soft blush tinged her cheeks. "I just do what I can." She offered. "Now, come on. Let's go save Thea from her mother and her scary older brothers."

* * *

Eventually, Monday morning came back around and life had somewhat returned to normal. Though disoriented and stricken with a mild concussion, Thea had gone home Saturday morning as soon as the doctors were sure the drug in her system was gone. Per Thea's desperate pleas - something about not wanting to deal with Oliver's grumpy, over-protective brooding all weekend -, Felicity happily spent the rest of the weekend at the Queen mansion with her while she recovered. Which meant she also got to spend a lot of time cuddled up with Oliver, earning them their fair share of teasing when it occurred in Thea's presence. For a moment, despite the circumstances that got them here, everything felt normal. 

There was one lingering problem, though. No one knew what drug Thea had been dosed with. Not the doctors, not Oliver, and certainly not Thea. And that's exactly what kept Felicity late at the office this Monday. 

Working for such a tech-savvy company occasionally had its perks, namely access to an incredible digital network and state-of-the-art satellites. Sitting here now, knee deep in security footage from Beta, Felicity didn't know why it didn't occur to her to do this earlier. The thought dawned on her mid-day. Maybe, with QC's resources, she could access the footage from Beta, locate any suspicious behavior occurring around Thea that night, and identify the person who administered the drug. Then, she would present the information to Oliver, transferring the next phase of her personal investigation to her convenient, green-hooded, vigilante of a soulmate. 

Several years ago, Felicity promised to never do this again, but this is Thea's life and she would do anything to protect the girl. 

So far, however, there was nothing to go on. The bartenders looked clean. No one had any kind of unsavory conversation with her. There hadn't been any obvious dosing while she left her drink unattended. Nothing. With a groan, Felicity dropped her head into her hands, moving to rub her strained eyes under her glasses, having scrutinized more than an hour of footage already. Maybe this was a stupidly hopeful fantasy... 

The sound of her phone buzzing on her left thankfully pulled her out of those thoughts as she reached over and pulled up the new text message. 

**_Oliver, 6:42 pm: Hey there. Are you still in the office?_ **

**_Felicity, 6:43 pm: Yeah. Why? Is everything okay?_ **

She waited, watching her phone in anticipation of a response from him, but it never came. After a minute, she gave up with a shrug figuring he must be simply checking on her, setting her phone aside, and turning back to the Beta footage with renewed vigor. She couldn't give up. Not only had someone messed with Thea, but there was a new, clearly dangerous drug on the street. 

Felicity couldn't say how much time passed after that because as soon as she went back to the footage, she found something and had been replaying it in slow motion multiple times to make sure her eyes weren't deceiving her. After the fifth replay, she was sure. They had their guy. "Yes!" She exclaimed, raising a victorious fist into the air. 

"What's so exciting?" 

Spinning to her right, Felicity grinned brightly. "I was going to tell you later, but I've found the guy that drugged Thea!" 

Oliver tilted his head, her favorite adorably confused look scrunching up his features as he stepped closer to get a better look at her screens. "Oh?" 

"It took some digging, but I'm sure we have the guy." She said excitedly, practically bouncing in her seat as she swiveled her attention between Oliver and the frozen frame on her computer. "You see, I borrowed QC's network and satellite to access the Beta security footage from that night and follow Thea's progression with the hope of spotting something fishy." 

Slowly, the crease of his brow smoothed out the longer he stared at the footage before him. "You hacked into Beta's security to track down the guy that drugged Thea?" 

Freezing, Felicity glanced at him nervously, nibbling on her lower lip. "Is that judgement I'm hearing?" 

Oliver blinked out of his reverie, quickly shaking his head as he met her eyes. "No. Pride." He clarified with a grin. Then he was laughing. 

"What's so funny?" Felicity asked with a huff. He was sure acting weird today. 

"It's just funny that this is what you've been up to because," He trailed off briefly as he reached into his jacket and pulled out a pair of syringes. "this is why I asked if you were in the office." He finished, holding them out to her. 

Felicity recoiled, her face curling in disgust at the sight. "Didn't we have a conversation a long, long time ago about how I'm deathly afraid of needles." She reminded him, shivering involuntarily at the thought of even touching those right now. "Fear of needles aside, what's in them? And don't tell me a sports drink because I can see you trying to make that joke but that would be completely unbelievable." 

He grimaced with a weak shrug. "The packaging isn't the best and I know that, but that's not my fault. While you were doing this research, I did a bit of my own, just using slightly different methods." He stated proudly. "This is a sample of the drug, Felicity!" He added after Felicity's confusion failed to disappear. 

A new crease appeared between her brows as she looked between him and the syringes. "When did you have time to get this? How did you get it? Do you know what it is?" She rattled off, her brain going into overdrive. 

Oliver had the decency to look sheepish. "Well, you know that errand I volunteered to go on Saturday night..." 

"Seriously?!" She balked. "You could have just told me what you were planning instead of going on a three-hour snack run for our movie night. We could have coordinated our efforts. Now all of my work is going to waste." She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. 

"Hey, no." He refuted, suddenly kneeling in front of her with a gentle hand on her knee. "I still need your help. The drug is called Vertigo, but that's all I know. The guy I took this from was nothing but a low-life dealer. We need to stop this drug from getting out, so I need your help finding the source. Maybe we can track the guy that did this to Thea..." 

That did the trick because Felicity quickly perked up. "I have a better idea." She started, tapping a finger to his hand on her knee. "You can do what you want on your own time with this information," She suggested, gesturing to the monitor currently running facial recognition on their man. "but he seems like another dealer or lackey, so he won't be of great help either. However, maybe we can extract the ingredients of the drug and track any recent, related crimes. Go straight to the source." She finished with a grin. 

Oliver pursed his lips. "But, how are we going to do that?" 

Felicity tilted her head, giving him her best puppy dog eyes, complete with a hopeful smile. "Can you get us into the Applied Sciences lab? I'm sure it's empty right now, and I would go in an erase any video evidence that we were ever there." 

"Are you sure? I don't want you to get in trouble." He suggested, nervously watching her. 

She placed her hand fully over his now. "Trust me. I'm really good at what I do." 

There was a moment of indecision, but eventually his gaze softened. "Okay. I trust you." He smiled with a nod. 

Felicity leaned forward and placed a quick kiss to his cheek. "Thank you." She said as she pulled back, shining her unmistakably excited smile on him. "Before we head down there, though, there's something I want to uh... _borrow_ from the IT department that we might need for later..."

* * *

"Let's hope this works." Taking a deep breath, Felicity clicked the earpiece on before fitting it in her right ear. "Oliver, can you hear me?" 

_"Perfectly."_ His growly voice came through crystal clear. 

Her sigh of relief was instant. "Remind me to make an anonymous donation to the IT department for these. Or thank my boss... but then he would be suspicious. Maybe we just return them..." 

_"Fe-li-ci-ty."_

That instantly halted her ramble. "Right, yeah, unimportant right now." She mumbled, turning her attention back to the less than stellar computer set up Oliver had in the Foundry. "I'm sorry, this is the last distraction, but you really do need better computers. This is abysmal." She grumbled as she waited for the data to load. When it finally came up, she cracked her knuckles and wiggled her fingers. "All right, lets bust a drug ring!" 

_"Just tell me where to go."_ Oliver encouraged gruffly, waiting for her signal. 

"Hmm let's see..." Felicity hummed as she scanned the crime records related to the ingredients they had uncovered earlier that evening using QC's laboratory equipment and few tricks Felicity remembered from her AP Chemistry class. "Looks like the SCPD is already aware of Vertigo due to a spike in overdose cases in the last week. They've been tracking a man that calls himself Count Vertigo, aka Cecil Adams. Hang tight while I run facial recognition..." She commentated as she worked quickly to access the requisite satellites and initiate the search. 

In spite of the quality of the workstation, the search completed quickly with multiple hits all throughout the city and with a good portion of them clustered around a relatively abandoned sector. "Good news. There have been frequent sightings in the warehouse district, the one near 25th and Grant. Based on city blueprints, there should be a building on that corner. That seems like the best place to start." She advised, clicking through the various screens as she wracked her brain trying to figure out a more efficient way to narrow down the location. 

_"I'm on it. I can be there in five."_ Came his response just before the sound of his Ducati's engine revving filled the earpiece. 

While he was en route, Felicity took the time to dig a little deeper, hacking into the CCTV footage in the area to see if that would confirm the evidence they had. Lo and behold, switching through the cameras a few times, she finally found a good view of the building and it was guarded by a smattering of armed men. 

"Oliver. That's definitely the building. There are maybe five guards on patrol out front, so be careful." She advised. 

_"Got it."_ He responded, the whirring of his engine disappearing from the background, signaling his arrival. _"Are there any headed my way? I'm on the south side of the building."_

Felicity flipped her feed to the nearest camera. "Just one to your left, but after that you should have a clear entrance. But, once your inside I'm totally blind. It's such an old building that there's no security installed inside." She warned, trying her best to keep the fear out of her voice. At first, this was simple, but now that he was faced with danger and her own inability to help him left her stomach uneasy. 

_"Felicity... I'll be fine. This is routine."_ He said, his voice momentarily softening from the growl he usually donned while in the hood. But, his reassurances didn't ease the feeling in her gut like she hoped they would. 

"Just... be careful." She responded. Folding her lower lip between her teeth, her brow creased with worry at the deathly silence on the other end of the earpiece. She was naïve to think that sitting back while he worked would be an easy thing to do. 

The first sounds of his scuffle didn't help either. Every grunt, snap of his bow string, and thud of an impact made her flinch. Without eyes on him, she had no idea if he was winning or losing, making this a true test of her faith in him. At the sound of the first gun shot, she came so close to ripping the earpiece out of her ear and destroying it. But, then she realized being completely out of the loop might actually be a worse option because at least this way they were still in some form of contact. So, she forced herself to sit back and listen as he worked his way through the building and its occupants. 

_"Felicity,"_ He started lowly _"This is definitely the place. I just found the production room. I'm going to set some bombs..."_

_"Well, well, well, I wasn't expecting you so soon, my green hooded vigilante."_ A new voice, but faint, came over the earpiece. 

Terror froze had her frozen. Something was wrong. "Oliver?! What's happening?" 

There was the sound of Oliver smoothly nocking and drawing an arrow. _"You were expecting me?"_ Oliver broached cautiously. 

_"My boss told me you would track me down eventually. All part of his plan, you see."_ The man responded cryptically with a confident laugh. _"Where are my manners, though. I'm Count Vertigo. Pleased to meet you, Mr. Queen."_

Her heart stopped. Panic had her pulling in quick but ragged breaths. "Oliver..." She started weakly. "Oliver, you have to get out of there." She urged desperately once she finally found her voice. 

But, Oliver didn't listen. _"How do you know who I am?"_ He roared. _"Did you drug my sister on purpose?"_

Another sinister laugh from the Count. _"Ah, looks like my little welcome gift was received."_ The man prodded, earning a dangerous and low growl from Oliver. _"You see, my boss knows a lot about you, including your little green secret. He asked me send a message to you."_

_"I don't like being played."_ Oliver growled, pulling his bow as taught as he could. 

_"Ah, I wouldn't do that if I were you. If you kill me, you won't get any answers."_

_"I don't think you're going to give me answers if I ask, so why shouldn't I?"_

_"Because, you'll really want to hear this."_ The Count said ominously. _"My boss isn't playing games. I've told you he knows everything about you. He has big plans, you see. He's coming for everything that you care about. He'll stop at nothing to make you suffer, and I'm offering my services to help him see to those goals."_

_"Not if I can help it-"_

There's a gun shot, followed by Oliver's clear hiss in her ear. "Oliver!" She screamed. She felt cold all of the sudden, terror filling her bones. 

Panting met her ears next, her plea going unanswered for a minute. "Oliver?!" She tried again desperately. 

_"I'm okay."_ He finally huffed out through his labored breathing. _"He got away though. The place is empty now."_

Felicity collapsed in her chair with a sigh of relief. He was still alive, but her worry didn't totally abate and probably wouldn't completely until he was right in front of her and she could visually see that he was unharmed. 

She did notice the odd silence on his end - no doubt as he contemplated what he had learned in there. "Oliver, talk to me." She urged. 

He was quiet for another moment. _"We can talk when I get back."_ He assured, exhaustion slipping into his voice. _"I'll be there soon."_

But, soon couldn't come soon enough for Felicity as she paced around the dimly lit room, anxiously awaiting his return. When the electronic lock on the door finally buzzed, Felicity froze mid-step and spun to face the stairs. Only when his full figure entered her vision did she start to breathe again. No sooner had that happened and she was darting for him, crashing into his arms right as he descended the last stair. 

Tilting his head down, Oliver pressed his nose into the crown of her head. Only one of his arms lifted to wrap around her shoulders. 

After a quiet minute, just holding him, feeling his form in her arms, satisfying herself that he was really okay, she pulled back to visually inspect him. He kept his head hung low, his eyes shielded by the hood still drawn over his head. She spotted the bloom of blood on his left arm easily. The sight of it made her heart leap. "You did get shot..." She forced out, her voice barely above a whisper as she lifted a hand, ghosting her fingers over his arm near the wound. 

"It's just a graze, Felicity. I promise I'm okay." He repeated as he stepped further into the space, but his voice sounded off. He went about shedding his hood and jacket, revealing the surface wound on his bicep that was already crusting over. Quietly, he laid his jacket over his trunk with his bow and quiver before moving over to the medical kit to fetch some supplies to tend to his wound. 

Felicity tracked him around the room until he settled onto a stool close by, prepping a cotton ball with alcohol to begin cleaning his wound. Something was off. His whole body was stiff with every movement he made. He refused to look at her even. 

Tentatively, she crossed the small gap from her computer station to the make-shift medical table he set up, coming close enough to his left side to brush his thigh. Placing a hand over his, poised to clean his wound, she gently took the cotton ball from his hand. "Let me." She offered. 

Finally, his eyes snapped up to hers and she was momentarily struck by how blue they were at the moment. They were like whirlpools, so many colors and emotions floating around. His gaze never wavered from her after that, even at the first touch of the cotton ball which no doubt must have stung nor when her own eyes moved to her task. "What does this all mean?" She asked quietly as she gently dabbed at the wound. 

"I- I don't know." Came his low response. 

Felicity hummed, setting down the used cotton ball and reaching for a fresh one. "It'll be okay. I know we'll figure out who this is and stop them." Even as she said the words, she couldn't keep the waver out of her voice. She needed to be strong for him because one of the emotions she saw in his eyes was most certainly fear, but it was hard to be strong when they had no idea what they were facing. 

The soft touch of his fingertips on her cheek made her pause. When his hand fully enclosed over her cheek, she lifted her eyes to his. "I can't lose you. I can't let you do this." 

She went to say something but pulled up short. "What?" 

"I thought we could do this, but I can't let you be part of this when you’re in danger." He tried again, his voice firm now. 

"Bull shit." She called instantly. She wouldn't let him do this after they had made so much progress recently. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." 

"Felicity," He begged, "I'm being serious." 

"No. You don't get to do this. Don't hide me away in some tower until this is over or you die." She fumed, poking him in the chest. "I trust you to keep me safe, and you need to trust me back. We. Are. A. Team. You and me. This whole thing terrifies me. I just got you back and now someone wants to take you from me again. But, that doesn't matter because I have you. And, I'll do anything to keep you here with me." 

He shook his head, but his resolve didn't seem as solid anymore. "I'm sorry, I can't let you-" 

"Gah! Will you just listen to me for once." She huffed. "How many times do we have to go through this, Oliver? I'm not saying I'm going into the field with you or anything, but I will not sit back and let you push me away when we both know damn well I'm safer with you than without and that I can help you. Even though tonight's mission didn't go as planned, I'd say it was a pretty damn good first run. Why? Because we make a good team. So, let me do this." 

His brow furrowed with worry, but the fact that he didn't open his mouth to refute her was a good sign. Hopefully he was finally listening to her. 

"And, I'll promise you this: if things do get too dangerous, I'll trust your judgement implicitly because I trust you to keep me safe. But, for now, let's not overreact to a threat we know nothing about yet, okay?" She added, her voice quiet again as she placed a comforting hand on the forearm of his injured arm. 

"If I ask you to go into hiding if this threat becomes too serious, you promise you'll go?" He clarified. 

Slowly, Felicity answered with a nod. "I will." 

He let out a deep breath, the hot air fanning over her skin as he leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers. "Tell me it will be okay." He prompted, his voice barely above a whisper now and sounding so unsure. 

Titling her head up, Felicity brushed her nose against his. "It'll be okay." She said, finally sounding confident in those words. "Because we have each other, it'll be okay." Her words were accompanied by a squeeze of her hand on his arm. 

Not really knowing when or why it happened, the mood shifted around them. Maybe it was the intimate position they were in, or maybe the thought of losing one another that triggered it, but the heat of their discussion slowly transformed into a different kind of heat. One that had Oliver turning his body more towards her and found his hand trailing down her arm hanging limply next to him. 

"You know, we never did discuss what that was at the club the other night," He started, his voice low and gravely, almost bordering on his Hood voice for the second time tonight. 

A shiver shook her small frame. Digging her nails into his forearm, Felicity leaned in, resting her other hand on his nearby knee now for support, ghosting her lips against his as she spoke up again. "I didn't know we needed to revisit it." 

"Um-hm." He confirmed. When his tongue peeped out to wet his own lips, it brushed over Felicity's as well, eliciting a soft gasp from her. "Since we're talking about us tonight, I want you to know that-" 

Why, oh why, at that moment did a throat have to clear over their shoulders? 

When it did, though, Felicity sprung away from him with surprising speed, though it was probably due to being frightened by the unknown newcomer. The moment she saw who it was though, she placed a hand to her rapidly beating heart and let out a relieved sigh. "Diggle, hi. We, uh, weren't expecting you..." She offered sheepishly, the embarrassment of being caught in such a compromising position finally hitting her. 

"How did you get in here?" Oliver asked slowly, cautiously. Clearly, he was unsure of what to make of Diggle's appearance. 

"Felicity gave me the code, just in case I changed my mind." Diggle explained, looking unfazed by the scene he had walked in on, much to Felicity's relief. 

Oliver threw a mildly disapproving glance at Felicity for doing that, but it didn't bother her. Diggle wouldn't have come here if it wasn't good news, so she had a good feeling about Diggle's intentions. "And, did you?" 

Linking his arms behind his back, Diggle stepped a little further into the space with a nod. "I have." He revealed, throwing a smile towards Felicity. "Someone once told me what's most important is the people you surround yourself with. Though I'm still not convinced about your mission, I do know is an honorable one, and that's the kind of person I want to surround myself with. The rest can come later." 

Oliver's shoulders immediately dipped at his words, accompanied by a soft breath of air. Meanwhile, Felicity was beaming. 

Hopping off his chair, Oliver offered Diggle his hand. "Thank you." He said earnestly. 

Diggle took the proffered hand immediately, giving it a firm shake. "Don't thank me. You have one amazing soulmate who believes in you and wants other people to share that belief. Let me tell you, it's pretty convincing." Diggle laughed, sending a smile towards Felicity. 

Glancing to his right, Oliver mimicked Diggle's gesture. "She is pretty great." He said softly, his dopey eyes fixed on a glowing Felicity. 

Their smiles were infectious, and it had Felicity was beaming right back at them. Clapping her hands together, she let out a happy squeal. "Welcome to the team!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A new enemy has entered the playing field! I wonder who it could be... hehehe. And how about that FIRE kiss between them. They're finally discovering that side of their relationship, so expect good things from that end.
> 
> Like always, I love hearing your thoughts about the chapter!


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